VANCOUVER - A man who posed as a gynecologist and convinced one of his victims to tattoo his name across her chest has lost an appeal of his dangerous offender status.
Kolten Mastronardi was declared a dangerous offender in 2012 and given an indeterminate sentence after being found guilty on 12 counts of sexual assault, as well as other charges related to assault, threats, fraud and extortion.
Mastronardi appealed the designation, arguing the judge should not have appointed his former defence lawyer to help him through the dangerous offender trial.
Three B.C. Court of Appeal judges unanimously ruled in a decision released Monday that there was no miscarriage of justice or error in Mastronardi's dangerous offender trial.
Justice Pamela Kirkpatrick said in the written ruling that Mastronardi is a highly manipulative offender who was determined to derail the trial by repeatedly firing his lawyers, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer who he could not fire in order to protect the legal process.
Kirkpatrick said that the outcome of Mastronardi's dangerous offender trial would likely not have been different if another lawyer had been appointed to help him.
