Since mid-April, Joseph Kidd of Grande Prairie, Alberta, has been arrested on sexual assault charges three times and released shortly after each arrest, only to allegedly reoffend within days. The case has sparked criticism of Canada's quick-release bail laws.
Alleged crimes against minors
Kidd, 32, faces numerous charges related to the sexual assault and harassment of four females aged 12 to 18. Grande Prairie RCMP detailed the timeline at a press conference on Thursday.
On April 17, a 14-year-old girl from British Columbia reported being sexually assaulted by Kidd. He allegedly met her on social media, drove to her home, picked her up, and kept her at his residence for a week until she escaped while he was at work. He was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, forcible confinement, assault while choking, and two counts of unsafe storage of a firearm.
Despite these charges, Kidd was released on April 30 with court-imposed conditions.
Repeat offences after release
Less than two weeks later, police were called to Kidd's residence. He was arrested again for sexual offences involving an 18-year-old woman he had driven from Lloydminster, Alberta. When she refused sex, he allegedly assaulted, sexually assaulted, and choked her. He was charged with those offences plus three counts of violating release conditions.
He was released a third time on June 1. Beginning June 4, Kidd allegedly committed a series of sexual assaults and harassment against a 15-year-old girl. She reported to RCMP on June 18 that Kidd had been following her and took her to his residence where he sexually assaulted her. He now faces charges of criminal harassment, sexual interference, sexual assault, and failure to comply with release conditions.
Criticism of bail system
Columnist Lorne Gunter argues that imposing release conditions on Kidd appears "entirely useless." He wrote: "They don't stop him from allegedly reoffending and they sure as Hades don't protect the public." Gunter asserts that someone who repeatedly violates release conditions should be detained until trial, but that is no longer how Canada's justice system works.
Anyone with information about Kidd or who was assaulted by him is asked to contact Grande Prairie RCMP.
