'It's frustrating': Young victim's mother angry dangerous offender hearing on hold

The west side of the Edmonton Law Courts building. (Amanda Anderson, CTV News Edmonton)

A hearing happening this week to determine if a man with a long history of pedophila should be designated a dangerous offender, is now on hold.

Justice Doreen Sulyma ordered Curtis Poburan undergo another assessment to see if he is fit to continue with the proceedings..

Before pausing, the court did hear four victim impact statements – all read by the Crown prosecutor.

One of them was written by the boy Poburan pleaded guilty to abducting in the Callingwood neighbourhood in 2021.

"Children should be safe to be children, to play at the park and not have their innocence taken from them," it read.

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The boy's mother, who cannot be identified to protect his identity as a young victim, spoke to CTV News Edmonton outside the courthouse.

"He was having nightmares that Curtis was coming to kill him," she said.

"Those did stop but they were really frightening for him, he thought that he would be released from jail and come," she added.

She said it was hard not being able to take her son's pain away.

'It broke my heart and it's not something you can immediately take away either. Just reassuring and comforting," she said.

Her son has been seeing a psychologist once a week since it happened which she said is helping, while she works through "guilt" of her own.

She said it was the first time she allowed her son to go out by himself.

"You teach them, since he was old enough to walk and talk, about the 'stranger danger' and you just feel like maybe you didn't do enough," she said.

Three more statements were read, written by siblings who were victims of Poburan in 1991.

"I was unaware of the severity of his actions," one of the now-adult victims included in his statement.

It went on to describe how it still impacts his life today from not being able to trust, maintain healthy relationships or employment.

“I am in desperate need of counseling but unfortunately the cost is beyond my means," he wrote in the statement.

There is another witness scheduled to testify, but will have to wait until the results of Poburan's fitness test are complete.

When Justice Sulyma made the order late Wednesday, she requested it be completed within 24-hours.

Crown prosecutor Parm Johal told the court efforts were being made to have the assessment performed today.

It's why Poburan appeared before the court via CCTV from the Edmonton Remand Centre so he'd be available to meet with the doctor.

However Johal also informed the court health officials told them they were "Not confident they will have the follow up assessment available by tomorrow morning."

"It seems to me, and I saw how the other report was done, it wasn't that lengthy," replied Justice Sulyma.

"So if the professional's concern is getting a formal report done up, I'm not fazed by that. I would like an indication of an opinion," she added.

Justice Sulyma said arrangements could be made to have the doctor testify in court to speed up getting the professional opinion.

Before adjourning Poburan informed the court he had been in touch with legal aid to retain a lawyer.

He has said several times throughout the proceedings he didn't have the "capacity" or "strength" to represent himself, but court also heard this week he had refused to meet with legal aid.

His most recent victim's mother said she feels like it's a "stall tactic."

"It's frustrating and it makes me really angry," she said.