By Mike Raptis/special to the Langley Advance
A serial predator who has maintained a pattern of sexual offences against young girls is planning to live in Mission after prompting protests where he lived in the Bradner area.
B.C. Corrections issued a public notification on Sunday warning area residents to be on the lookout for high-risk sex offender James Conway, 41.
Conway has a criminal history which includes sexual interference of a minor, sexual assault, arson, failing to comply and breaching his recognizance. He is Caucasian, 6-foot-4, weighs 250 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes.
Conway had been living at an Abbotsford halfway house, prompting the City of Abbotsford to file a lawsuit to try to force him to move.
Conway has a long criminal history, including three sexual offences against children, as well as sexual interference of a person under 16, sexual assault and arson.
He has also breached the conditions of his release at least twice.
In April 2014, he was caught staring at young girls on SkyTrain, looking down their shirts and engaging them in conversation by producing a teddy bear. He was later sentenced to 10 months in jail and three years’ probation.
Police issued a public notice about his release from prison in February of this year, when he settled in the Surrey area.
At that time, BC Corrections said in a press release that he has a pattern of “sexual offending against female children in a predatory and opportunistic manner.”
Conway was back in jail 10 days later, after allegedly breaching his conditions when he sat down on a bus beside a 14-year-old girl, even though other seats were available.
A public notice was issued again in April of 2015, when Conway was released from prison and planned to reside in Delta.
Last November, the city filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court against the owners of a property that houses a Bradner halfway house.
The suit alleges that the defendants are using the property for “commercial, institutional and care uses,” which are not permitted under the “Agricultural One” zoning for the neighbourhood.
Conway is subject to close monitoring by authorities and has 25 court-ordered conditions including:
— You must remain in your residence at all times (24 hour curfew) and may not leave your residence unless you are supervised.
— You are subject to electronic supervision.
— You may not engage in any activity that involves contact with persons under the age of 18, including the use of a computer system for the purpose of communicating with persons under the age of eighteen.
— You may not engage in any activities, volunteer work or employment that will put you in contact with any person under the age of eighteen.
— You may not attend at any public park, playground, school yard, daycare centre, community centre or public swimming area or any other site which offers activities for persons under the age of 18.
— You may not wear, for any reason, any uniform which includes but is not limited to, Firemen’s uniforms, Correctional Officer uniforms, Search and Rescue uniforms, Police uniforms, Security Guard uniforms, Nurse uniforms, or any patch or insignia that represents these occupations.
— You may not travel alone on public transit.
—You may not consume alcohol or be in an establishment where alcohol is for sale.
— You may not possess any weapons.
If you see Conway violate any of the above conditions, contact your local police.
– Mike Raptis is a reporter with the Vancouver Sun
– With files from the Abbotsford News and the Langley Advance
For more from the Sun go to vancouversun.com
