Dangerous offender hearing for Cory Bitternose continues

Thedangerous offender hearing for Cory Bitternoseis continuing this week.

Bitternose has a history of violent assaults and robberiesthat spans two decades.

Most recently hepleaded guilty to sex assault and kidnapping in a case involving two women in Banff in 2009.

"One of the psychiatrists who has testified already, his recommendation is that Mr. Bitternose is capable of being treated in the community and being managed in the community, so ultimately that is the central issue for the defence and that's what we intend to argue," said Bitternose's lawyer Pawel Milczarek.

Thatpsychiatrist, Dr. Thomas MacKay, said Bitternosehas a moderate-to-high risk to re-offend, but believes he can be treated. Hedoesnot supportdangerous offenderstatus.

"I believe an indeterminate sentence leaves an individual with the sense there's nothing they can do to get themselves out of an incarcerated state,"MacKay said."That reduces motivation quite a bit."

He does support 10 years ofcommunity supervision.

MacKay says Bitternose doesn't perceive himself as frustrated until he's already there and "that happens quickly," and he sees violence as a way of solving problems.

The dangerous offender hearing for Bitternosehas been going on for a couple of years.