REGINA — A man warned to the public as high risk to sexually and/or violently re-offend was back before the court.
Louis Ted Mercredi, 40, appeared in Regina Provincial Court on June 15, facing two counts of breaching a long-term supervision order. He entered a guilty plea to the first count, that of not to consume or purchase drugs unless prescribed medication. The Crown stayed the second count.
Back on March 30, a public advisory was issued regarding Mercredi residing in the Heritage neighbourhood.
“Louis Ted Mercredi has a criminal history which includes violent sexual offences and has a history of re-offending,” said a media release from RPS in March. “During his time of incarceration, he did complete programming designated to address his risk factors. However, Louis Ted Mercredi has not made any progress in reducing his high risk to re-offend violently. At prior sentencing he was designated as a Dangerous Offender and was given a tong term supervision order for 10 years.”
Crown prosecutor Lindsay Hjorth explained some of the facts regarding the breach, which occurred on April 5. Court heard that at the time, Mercredi was on conditions to reside at the Oskana Centre, and was attending a craft night event. Mercredi was allegedly intoxicated and making inappropriate sexual comments to female staff, resulting in a request for him to leave the facility.
On the following day, Mercredi met with his parole officer, and was noted to still be under the influence. Urinalysis later confirmed he had THC in his system – something Mercredi does have a prescription for, but on that occasion was obtained outside of that boundary.
Hjorth explained the concern from the Crown lies in the fact that Mercredi’s sexual offences were closely tied with intoxication – primarily when that state occurred via alcohol. She went over Mercredi’s criminal record, which dated back to 2003. In addition to alcohol-related offences and sexual assaults, Hjorth noted previous conditional breaches – including one from 2022 on the very LTSO he’s currently bound by.
“This will be his second long-term supervision order breach,” Hjorth said, adding that the current order doesn’t conclude until September, 2031.
Ultimately, her submission was that Mercredi serve 15 months for the breach, with one-to-one remand credit for time spent in custody.
“I take issue with the connection with the THC consumption and his offending pattern,” said legal aid lawyer Connie Hottinger. She went on to note the progress Mercredi has made, according to information she reviewed from Corrections materials.
“He’s there, and he’s trying,” Hottinger said. “And I think that is a factor that is of some significance.”
Her suggestion was a sentence of perhaps six to nine months in duration, given factors such as Mercredi’s cognitive challenges, his desire to improve (having successfully stayed away from alcohol and meth for a period of time), and his early life. Court heard Mercredi and his family members had attended residential school, and that alcoholism had been an issue in his early home life. Originally from the Black Lake First Nation, Mercredi lost his mother in an accident in 2003 – an incident that also left his father injured.
Hottinger also explained that Mercredi’s first language is Dene, which he continues to speak with family members; that his writing level is limited to that of signing his own name, and he can only read basic texts – essentially functioning at a Grade 1 level. She added her client was born on the fetal alcohol spectrum and had seizures as a child.
Judge Murray Hinds reserved sentencing on the matter until July 6.
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