Convicted sex offender Henri Jean Rusk has been released from prison.
Credits: Calgary Police Photo.
CALGARY -- High-risk sex offender Henri Jean Rusk must continue to wear a monitoring ankle bracelet -- at least for now, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Provincial court Judge Anne Brown said she would like to see further testing done to determine whether the device is causing an allergic reaction on the offender's legs.
Dermatologist Dr. Laurie Parsons testified testing done on Rusk's skin to determine if was allergic to any of the materials was invalidated because he washed markers from his back while showering.
Parsons said without valid testing, she couldn't determine if wounds suffered by Rusk while wearing the device were caused by an adverse reaction to it.
Parsons told Crown attorney Adam May the injuries Rusk experienced could also be a result of his diabetes and lack of sensation in his feet.
Parsons said Rusk scored poorly in touch testing to determine if he felt pain in his lower extremities.
"He's lost that protective sensation," Parsons testified, at a hearing to determine if Rusk should continue to be electronically monitored as a condition of his probation.
"You may not feel pain," she said, in explaining how Rusk might be getting injured by the bracelet moving on his ankle without him feeling it.
"You may not feel something rubbing or pushing against the skin."
But Parsons did tell defence lawyer Dean Zuk that regardless of the cause, it was the bracelet which was causing Rusk's injuries.
As a result, Zuk asked Brown to order the device removed at least temporarily, so the offender's wounds can heal.
"I'm not prepared to order that the bracelet be removed at this state," Brown said, asking that Parsons do further testing and report back in three weeks.
The monitoring device was one of the probation conditions placed on Rusk after he was ordered to be supervised in the community for three years following a one-year jail term for molesting a woman.
The sentence was imposed in October 2010 after Rusk sexually assaulted a woman six weeks after he served all of a three-year sentence for molesting a wheelchair-bound female.
A date to continue his application will be set Friday.
kevin.martin@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNKevinMartin
Provincial court Judge Anne Brown said she would like to see further testing done to determine whether the device is causing an allergic reaction on the offender's legs.
Dermatologist Dr. Laurie Parsons testified testing done on Rusk's skin to determine if was allergic to any of the materials was invalidated because he washed markers from his back while showering.
Parsons said without valid testing, she couldn't determine if wounds suffered by Rusk while wearing the device were caused by an adverse reaction to it.
Parsons told Crown attorney Adam May the injuries Rusk experienced could also be a result of his diabetes and lack of sensation in his feet.
Parsons said Rusk scored poorly in touch testing to determine if he felt pain in his lower extremities.
"He's lost that protective sensation," Parsons testified, at a hearing to determine if Rusk should continue to be electronically monitored as a condition of his probation.
"You may not feel pain," she said, in explaining how Rusk might be getting injured by the bracelet moving on his ankle without him feeling it.
"You may not feel something rubbing or pushing against the skin."
But Parsons did tell defence lawyer Dean Zuk that regardless of the cause, it was the bracelet which was causing Rusk's injuries.
As a result, Zuk asked Brown to order the device removed at least temporarily, so the offender's wounds can heal.
"I'm not prepared to order that the bracelet be removed at this state," Brown said, asking that Parsons do further testing and report back in three weeks.
The monitoring device was one of the probation conditions placed on Rusk after he was ordered to be supervised in the community for three years following a one-year jail term for molesting a woman.
The sentence was imposed in October 2010 after Rusk sexually assaulted a woman six weeks after he served all of a three-year sentence for molesting a wheelchair-bound female.
A date to continue his application will be set Friday.
kevin.martin@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNKevinMartin
