Dangerous offender hearing continues

BY KEITH LACEY

Even though most of her contact with Donald Kocurek consists of phone calls and letters, his girlfriend testified she believes he’ll be able to give up his life of crime if he’s allowed to start a new life with her on her southern Ontario farm.

Colleen McLeod, 34, testified she “has a gut feeling...in her stomach” Kocurek is willing to turn his troubled life around once he’s released from custody.

Testimony at a dangerous offender hearing against Kocurek, which started several months ago, is scheduled to wrap up this week. Submissions by Sudbury’s Crown attorney John Luczak and defence counsel Norm Williams will complete the hearing later this month.

Justice Louise Gauthier of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has heard evidence from numerous witnesses at the dangerous offender hearing. If Kocurek is declared a dangerous offender, he could be sentenced to an indefinite period in custody, perhaps the rest of his life.

Gauthier could also declare Kocurek a long-term offender, meaning police and authorities would be able to closely monitor him for a set period of time determined by the court.

Gauthier could also determine Kocurek isn’t a dangerous or long-term offender and would then have to sentence him for offences dating back to March 2003, when Kocurek was arrested for leading Greater Sudbury Police on a high-speed chase and then trying to run down officers. He was also in possession of cocaine.

McLeod testified even though she knows all about Kocurek’s criminal record, she still believes he’s capable of rehabilitation and becoming a solid citizen.

“He’s not the guy you see here...Don’s a very good man...it’s time for him to grow and time for us to grow,” she said.

She’s operating a hobby farm near Stratford in southern Ontario “out in the middle of nowhere” and she would allow Kocurek to live with her if released from custody.

When asked to describe Kocurek’s personality, she said she’s not afraid of him in any way.

“He can be feisty, but everybody gets a little agitated once in awhile,” she said.

Kocurek has more than three dozen convictions, including convictions for sexual assault, robbery and numerous convictions for aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and assault.