‘Not welcome in my city’: High-risk sex offender in Surrey has history of crimes against children

Documents show a high-risk sex offender who moved into Surrey this week has a long criminal history that includes crimes against children.

A high-risk sex offender who moved into Surrey this week—and is the subject of a warning from police—has a criminal history that dates back more than two decades and includes crimes against children.

According to Parole Board of Canada documents obtained by CTV News, Marinus Willemse has served three federal sentences.

His crimes include abduction, kidnapping, forcible confinement and sexual assaults with a weapon.

“Based on prior offenses, it was determined that he was a high risk to women and children in the community,” said Surrey Police Sgt. Tige Pollock, explaining why the public notification was issued.

It’s not the first time Willemse has been the subject of a public warning.

In 2022, a sex offender notification was issued in Manitoba.

The Winnipeg Police Service also posted a community notification at the same time about Willemse’s release from prison after serving a sentence of more than 20 years.

It states that on Nov. 9, 1999, he tried to lure two girls, ages 6 and 10, and “exposed himself and the girls ran away.”

The same day, the notification states, “Willemse forced his way into a vehicle belonging to a mother and her eight-year-old daughter leaving the shopping mall. He held a knife to the child’s head, threatening to kill her if the mother did not cooperate. The mother and daughter managed to escape.”

Even while in prison, a registry decision from the parole board reveals serious problems.

“On April 29, 2024, you threatened to shoot the Parole Board of Canada Board members, as you were upset about the decision they made in your case,” the PBC documents indicate.

They state that in May of the same year, he threatened a program facilitator. The next month, he threatened a nurse.

The information provided to the parole board by the Correctional Service of Canada was that: “Threats included those he would commit at the moment, then continued to describe how he would ‘finish the job’ once released.”

According to the documents, he was detained by the board in both 2023 and 2024. Both times he was deemed a high risk to reoffend.

He reached warrant expiry, or the end of this sentence this week.

“He should be in jail or in a locked facility. He is not welcome in my city,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, adding that she is not certain what part of the community he is living in.

“People are asking me, ‘Where is he?’ I don’t know where he is, but I would like to,” she said.

Willemse faces a long list of release conditions including not being allowed at parks, school grounds, playgrounds or community centres where there may be children. He also has a curfew.

“There is electronic monitoring. We do also have members from our investigative services bureau who are monitoring him for compliance and checking in on him,” Tige said.

The mayor said she is writing Ottawa about her concerns.

“Quite frankly, I think the federal government has to take a strong look at how they’re letting these kinds of criminals into our cities,” Locke said.

Anyone seeing Willemse breaching his release conditions is asked to call 911.