`Master manipulator' jailed for sexual assaults

A B.C. man who was convicted of sexually assaulting nine young, vulnerable boys since 1978 has been declared a dangerous offender and ordered to be jailed indefinitely.

Charles Michael Kavanagh, 62, was convicted of his most recent offence in June 2018 when B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Murray found him guilty of sexually touching a boy under age 16.

Kavanagh was also convicted of trafficking in cannabis and crystal meth, and breaching a recognizance by contacting the young victim, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban.

The Crown proceeded with an application to have Kavanagh declared a dangerous offender, which resulted in lengthy court proceedings.

In a recent decision, Murray noted that all of the boys, ranging in age from 12 to 16, were vulnerable, which made them “perfect” victims for Kavanagh, who started his sexual offending by using force and fear.

“As he became more sophisticated he progressed to targeting particularly vulnerable boys, luring them into spending time with him and grooming them over an extensive period of time,” said the judge. “He provided them with alcohol and drugs, and preyed upon their addictions, loneliness and in most cases isolation from their families.”

Kavanagh threatened the boys, overtly or subtly, concealed what he was doing from others and then sexually assaulted the victims. Some were victimized hundreds of times.

“Mr. Kavanagh has repeated this pattern of aggressive behaviour unrestrained by counselling, community supports and various forms of supervision,” said the judge. “He has shown himself to be a master manipulator, fixated on his goal of having sex with the boys, completely indifferent to the devastation he was causing the boys and their families.”

At the sentencing hearing, Crown counsel Michaela Donnelly argued that it was appropriate to hand Kavanagh an indefinite sentence. The defence, which conceded that Kavanagh should be declared a dangerous offender, argued that a 16-year jail term with a 10-year supervision order was a more appropriate sentence.

The judge noted that assessments done on Kavanagh found him to be an entrenched, prolific offender.