An article from 'Guelph Mercury" sample written on May 11, 2015.
Guelph killer will ‘never get a free pass’ from victims’ family
Guelph Mercury
By Mercury staff
GUELPH — Accepting that murderer Ed Dakin deserves an opportunity to "reintegrate into the community" will never be an option for the family of Jackie and Julie Kaulback.
The family issued a statement Monday following a report that the Parole Board of Canada has granted the 71-year-old Dakin a three-day unescorted temporary absence so he can travel from Gravenhurst to a Peterborough halfway house in preparation for his eventual release from prison.
Part of the reason the board granted Dakin the unescorted temporary absence, to be used over a one-year period, is that it felt he is finally beginning to accept responsibility for the 1989 first-degree murders of Jackie Kaulback, 39, and her daughter Julie, 16, although he still denies those murders were premeditated. The recent hearing had been granted based on Dakin's appeal of an April 2014 hearing at which he was denied unescorted temporary absences.
The victims' family statement was issued through Shirley Newell, who is Jackie's sister and Julie's aunt.
"Jackie and Julie's family have no choice but to accept that even though convicted of the most heinous crime, the convicted offender is deemed by the justice system to have rights, such as seeking unescorted temporary absences from his prison facility. Even the offender who doused Jackie and Julie with gasoline before setting them on fire as they slept. Even the offender who, at the recent parole board hearing and in his own words, does not consider himself a murderer.
"Accepting that Dakin deserves any chance to 'reintegrate into the community' will never be an option for us and he will never get a free pass from Jackie and Julie's family."
In 1989, Dakin, a realtor and former head of the Guelph and District Real Estate Board, went to the Victoria Road home of his former girlfriend and poured gasoline on her and her daughter as they slept in bed before setting them on fire. They later died of their injuries in a Hamilton hospital.
Immediately after setting the two women ablaze, Dakin called his second wife at home but did not call emergency services. Dakin had been separated from his second wife prior to his relationship with Kaulback.
He was arrested a short time later at the side of Highway 401 in Milton after calling 911 for an ambulance for burns on his hands.
Members of the Kaulback family were present at the parole hearing and voiced their objection to the unescorted pass.
Dakin has served the past 10 years of his life sentence at the minimum security Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst. He has, in the past, received escorted passes from prison.
While in Peterborough, Dakin will meet with halfway house staff, exploring volunteer and work-related prospects and counselling avenues.
The report points out Dakin is on good terms with his own extended family as well as his first ex-wife, who has moved to the area to be closer to Dakin.
Conditions of the unescorted pass include staying away from alcohol and reporting any relationships with women to his parole supervisor. He also has to refrain from contacting the Kaulback family in any way.
"Your index offences were brutal and, as the victims' statements on file underscore, caused them long-lasting and genuine injury."
Dakin's gradual reintegration into the community will be subject to careful supervision and monitoring, the board wrote.
[email protected]
Guelph Mercury
By Mercury staff
GUELPH — Accepting that murderer Ed Dakin deserves an opportunity to "reintegrate into the community" will never be an option for the family of Jackie and Julie Kaulback.
The family issued a statement Monday following a report that the Parole Board of Canada has granted the 71-year-old Dakin a three-day unescorted temporary absence so he can travel from Gravenhurst to a Peterborough halfway house in preparation for his eventual release from prison.
Part of the reason the board granted Dakin the unescorted temporary absence, to be used over a one-year period, is that it felt he is finally beginning to accept responsibility for the 1989 first-degree murders of Jackie Kaulback, 39, and her daughter Julie, 16, although he still denies those murders were premeditated. The recent hearing had been granted based on Dakin's appeal of an April 2014 hearing at which he was denied unescorted temporary absences.
The victims' family statement was issued through Shirley Newell, who is Jackie's sister and Julie's aunt.
"Jackie and Julie's family have no choice but to accept that even though convicted of the most heinous crime, the convicted offender is deemed by the justice system to have rights, such as seeking unescorted temporary absences from his prison facility. Even the offender who doused Jackie and Julie with gasoline before setting them on fire as they slept. Even the offender who, at the recent parole board hearing and in his own words, does not consider himself a murderer.
"Accepting that Dakin deserves any chance to 'reintegrate into the community' will never be an option for us and he will never get a free pass from Jackie and Julie's family."
In 1989, Dakin, a realtor and former head of the Guelph and District Real Estate Board, went to the Victoria Road home of his former girlfriend and poured gasoline on her and her daughter as they slept in bed before setting them on fire. They later died of their injuries in a Hamilton hospital.
Immediately after setting the two women ablaze, Dakin called his second wife at home but did not call emergency services. Dakin had been separated from his second wife prior to his relationship with Kaulback.
He was arrested a short time later at the side of Highway 401 in Milton after calling 911 for an ambulance for burns on his hands.
Members of the Kaulback family were present at the parole hearing and voiced their objection to the unescorted pass.
Dakin has served the past 10 years of his life sentence at the minimum security Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst. He has, in the past, received escorted passes from prison.
While in Peterborough, Dakin will meet with halfway house staff, exploring volunteer and work-related prospects and counselling avenues.
The report points out Dakin is on good terms with his own extended family as well as his first ex-wife, who has moved to the area to be closer to Dakin.
Conditions of the unescorted pass include staying away from alcohol and reporting any relationships with women to his parole supervisor. He also has to refrain from contacting the Kaulback family in any way.
"Your index offences were brutal and, as the victims' statements on file underscore, caused them long-lasting and genuine injury."
Dakin's gradual reintegration into the community will be subject to careful supervision and monitoring, the board wrote.
[email protected]
For the lastest news go to http://www.guelphmercury.com/guelph-on/
Last update: June 1, 2015