Repeat sex offender arrested for another alleged assault, community not warned of his release

There is outrage after a violent sex offender was released without a public warning in Kelowna, and then allegedly sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl.

Taylor Dueck, 29, is facing charges of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, and breach of probation after an alleged incident earlier this month involving the young girl in the bathroom of a Kelowna equestrian facility.

Dueck has a history of sexual offences.

He was denied parole in 2022, over concerns he'd reoffend, but was released into the community this past summer at the end of his sentence.

Dueck was the subject of police public warnings in 2020, when he was released in the Fraser Valley, after serving time for sex crimes. This time, there was no such warning

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon expressed his outrage Thursday during an unrelated news conference.

"Frankly, it angers me because I'm a little tired of having to hear the premier stand up and talk about how 'white hot angry he is' every time some incident like this happens, and yet nothing ever gets done, until the next incident happens and then he'll come out with another statement about how 'white hot angry' or some similar type of words, when nothing is getting better," he said.

The girl’s identity is protected by a publication ban, however, her father told CTV News the situation is “mind boggling.”

“It’s beyond disappointing. At the bare minimum, the community should have been made aware," he said. "Better steps should have been taken to prevent it from happening.”

He’s also upset that Dueck was allowed to be in an environment like the equestrian centre, which has many young girls. 

"It’s a horrible decision by someone to allow him access to a facility like that….literally putting him right where he wanted to be," the victim's father said.

B.C.’s Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said Thursday that either the Kelowna RCMP or BC Corrections could have issued a public warning. Farnworth has ordered an investigation.

“I am extremely concerned, in fact very angry over what has happened, that's why I have ordered an investigation for a full accounting of what took place — involving all provincial agencies and federal agencies and officials that were invovled in this situation," Farworth said. "I want to ensure that there were not systems failures. I want to ensure that everything that should have been done was done, because quite frankly this should never ever happen.”

The accused remains in custody and had a court appearance scheduled for Friday.

None of the current charges have been tested in court.