Surrey Mayor Calls for Indefinite Imprisonment Over Community Release of High-Risk Sex Offender
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has issued a forceful condemnation following the release of a designated high-risk sex offender into the community, declaring that indefinite imprisonment would be preferable to risking another victim of sexual assault.
Police Warn of Significant Risk to Women and Children
The Surrey Police Service has issued a public advisory regarding Marinus Willemse, a 58-year-old man with a lengthy criminal history who has been released and will be residing in Surrey. Authorities have explicitly stated that Willemse poses a significant risk to women and children in the community, prompting heightened concern among local residents and officials.
Willemse's criminal record spans decades and includes convictions for:
- Abduction of a person under 14
- Forcible confinement
- Attempted abduction
- Kidnapping
- Sexual assault with a weapon
Decades of Violent Offenses
The offender spent years incarcerated in Manitoba following his 1999 convictions, which involved luring two young girls—aged six and ten—into a secluded area. In that same incident, he exposed himself before carjacking a woman's vehicle and holding a knife to her eight-year-old child's head to compel cooperation.
Additional convictions from the 1980s include violent sexual assaults and the kidnapping of a four-year-old girl directly from her bedroom. This pattern of targeting vulnerable individuals has raised alarm bells about the potential for reoffending.
Mayor's Strong Stance on Public Safety
"When you consider the criminal history of Marinus Willemse, it seems almost inevitable that he will reoffend. If so, that means there will be a victim," Mayor Locke stated emphatically. "While I agree with the principle of rehabilitation, forgiveness and second chances, I draw the line at repeat offenders that target the vulnerable. We need to do better."
Locke has committed to writing the federal minister of justice to express her firm belief that society cannot allow such individuals to live among children, mothers, and families. "If this means that Marinus Willemse must remain in jail indefinitely—then so be it," she declared.
Release Conditions and Monitoring
Despite his release, Willemse will be subject to strict conditions and electronic monitoring. Investigators from Surrey Police's major crime unit will maintain surveillance, and the public is urged to immediately call 911 if they observe any breaches of his release terms.
The comprehensive list of conditions includes:
- No contact with any victims of his offenses or their immediate family members
- Prohibition from being within 300 meters of any residence, workplace, or educational facility associated with victims or witnesses
- Restrictions on possessing knives, axes, or other sharp-bladed instruments except for food preparation or lawful employment purposes
Willemse is described as 5-foot-11, approximately 225 pounds, with brown and white hair and blue eyes. The ongoing monitoring represents law enforcement's attempt to balance legal requirements with community protection, though Mayor Locke's statements reflect deep skepticism about whether these measures are sufficient given the offender's history.
The case has reignited debates about how the justice system handles high-risk offenders upon release and what measures truly protect communities from individuals with demonstrated patterns of violent sexual predation.
