The convicted child sex offender who spurred a Vancouver police manhunt in November after leaving a halfway house may plead guilty to breaching supervision orders.
However, there was confusion when Randy Peter Hopley appeared before Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Nancy Adams Dec. 22 as no pleas had been entered although the case was being set for a disposition.
That could take place April 26 when Hopley is next set to appear in court. He faces four counts of breach of a long-term supervision order and failing to appear.
Public concern was high for 10 days after Hopley, 58, never returned to his Vancouver halfway house, the Salvation Army's Harbour Light facility, Nov. 4.
His electronic ankle monitoring bracelet was removed at Main Street and East 8th Avenue.
A Canada-wide warrant was subsequently issued. A second warrant was issued when he failed to attend Vancouver Provincial Court Nov. 6.
Hopley was living at the Downtown Eastside halfway house as part of his 10-year long-term supervision order. Police believe he was attempting to avoid court for allegedly breaching a long-term supervision order.
On Nov. 14, Hopley was found waiting outside the Vancouver Police Department building on East Cordova Street and taken into police custody.
Confusion at court
On Friday, Hopley appeared before Adams by video alongside Crown prosecutor Michael Fox.
The court could not contact defence lawyer Bobby Movassaghi and his associate Tom Spettigue to find out what was happening in Hopley’s case.
Adams asked Hopley several questions.
“Did you know this matter is going for disposition?” she asked.
“I don’t even know what’s going on,” Hopley replied.
Fox said he thought he’d heard it was going for disposition.
Adams finally decided to set the April date as a hearing absent further information.
“I don’t want to push Mr. Hopley to say he’s pleading guilty,” Adams said.
Hopley has consented to remain in custody.
“I don’t want to do a bail hearing,” Hopley told Adams. “I want to skip it.”
'You do not appear to understand or appreciate your risk level'
In 2011, Hopley abducted a three-year-old boy from his home in Sparwood in southeastern, B.C. Hopley held the boy captive in a cabin for four days before returning him unharmed.
He completed a six-year prison term for the incident, and was released with conditions under a long-term supervision order.
Hopley has a history of sex offences against children, as well as sexual assault, assault and property crime convictions, police said.
The Canadian Press reported Hopley completed his full prison term, which ended October 2018. But in a decision released Jan. 9, 2023, the National Parole Board said a long-term supervision order was needed because he was an untreated sex offender with a high risk to re-offend.
The board said Hopley didn’t appear to understand he had done anything wrong when he lied to his case management team after he was caught using a computer at a public library less than a metre from a group of children, according to the Canadian Press.
Before Hopley got to the halfway house, he fled. That led to the two new charges on top of earlier alleged breaches of long-term supervision orders.
When Hopley appeared before Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Ellen Gordon Jan. 13, 2023, he denied those breaches.
“I didn’t breach it. I didn’t breach it,” he yelled over the phone from a Chilliwack courthouse.
The board report, obtained by The Canadian Press, said Hopley needs structure, support and supervision at the residential facility where he lives.
"Your release in the community has been marred by suspensions and breaches and you do not appear to understand or appreciate your risk level. You deny wrongdoing, which is worrisome, and you did not provide any reasonable explanation for your behaviours," the decision said.
"To date, no appropriate program of supervision has been established that will adequately protect society from your risk of reoffending."
