Wanamaker to remain behind bars as notorious pedophile seeks new lawyer
Freedom remains fleeting for notorious sex offender Erik Wanamaker, as he remains behind bars looking for a new lawyer.
Defence counsel Yoav Niv was to appear on Wanamaker’s behalf in court Monday for the purpose of scheduling a bail hearing.
But, instead, Niv told provincial court Judge Terry Semenuk he discovered he has a conflict that won’t allow him to represent Wanamaker on a charge he breached a condition under the sex offender registry.
“Are you going to get a new lawyer?” Semenuk asked the senior citizen with a long history of sexual offences.
“Yes, I’m trying to,” said Wanamaker, appearing on screen on a closed-circuit TV feed from the Calgary Remand Centre.
Wanamaker, 69, said he has made an application with Legal Aid to supply him with new counsel and hopes one will be in place next week.
Crown prosecutor Jenny Rees, who has said she will oppose Wanamaker’s release on bail pending trial, asked that the case be adjourned to April 9 to allow the accused to get a new lawyer.
Wanamaker was charged earlier this month with breaching the Sex Offender Information Registration Act by not informing police he changed his address when he moved in October 2015.
Keeping police advised of his address is one of the conditions Wanamaker faces as he is subject to a lifetime sex offender registry order after twice being convicted of possessing child pornography.
He was handed a jail term plus three years of probation in September 2011 for possessing more than 27,000 images of child pornography.
He was also handed a 22-month sentence in 2007 for possession of child pornography.
Wanamaker has an extensive record dating back to 1981, including an 11-year sentence in 1992 on sex-related charges and attempting to obstruct justice.
He’s currently scheduled to stand trial in May on his latest charge against him, but that will depend on the availability of his new lawyer.