Paedophile’s fresh bid to get parole

CONVICTED serial paedophile Bruce Ehrlich who is suing the department of correctional services after his parole was revoked, has filed another application in the Grahamstown High Court.

He wants the court to set aside the decision on November 28 by the parole board to deny him parole.

Ehrlich was released on parole in 2010 but sent back to prison for breaking parole conditions after he was allegedly seen teaching minor boys squash at the Cambridge Sports Club in East London.

This was after having served seven years of his 15-year jail term.

In September Judge Nomathamsanqa Beshe dismissed Ehrlich’s application. He has filed a notice for an application for leave to appeal.

In court papers Ehrlich claims that between 2010 and 2016 he had complied with all parole conditions.

He also claims there was no recorded proof that he broke his parole conditions.

Ehrlich said that for the six years he was subjected to community service and was under the supervision of Correctional Services in East London.

Ehrlich also claimed he had suffered prejudice for the eight months he has been detained at Mdantsane prison.

He also seeks to be released in order to take care of his 97-year-old mother arguing there was no one to look after her.

Judge Judith Margaret Roberson, who heard the urgent application to set aside the parole board’s decision, postponed the matter to January 12 next year to allow the department of correctional services attorneys to file opposing papers.

East London regional commissioner Nkosinathi Breakfast was not available for comment at the time of writing.

This is not the first time Ehrlich has been in trouble for violating bail or parole conditions.

In 1991 he pleaded guilty to sexual offences against minor boys in Knysna.

His jail sentence was suspended on condition he did not make contact with children under the age of 18.

He ignored this condition and, after being seen in the company of minor boys, was forced to serve his jail sentence.

Later, when on bail on similar charges in East London, he again violated bail conditions, leading to his bail being revoked pending his criminal trial.

In 2002, his regular breaching of conditions led Supreme Court of Appeal Judge D G Scott to describe him as “unworthy of being trusted”. —