South Okanagan career criminal could join short list of Canada’s worst criminals

PENTICTON – One of the South Okanagan's most prolific and notorious criminals could be in his final criminal hearing this week. If he's found to be a dangerous offender, he could be held in prison for the rest of his life. 

Ronald Arthur Teneycke has caused damage to people and property and sending up headlines for at least two decades. He's been an 'extremely violent sexual predator' convicted of sexual assault and served ten years, was found not guilty of another heinous sexual assault and shot a stranger before stealing his truck.

A judge will determine if the sum of his carnage he created in the community should earn him a place in a short list of Canada's worst criminals — a dangerous offender designation that could keep him in custody for the rest of his life.  For the next week of his hearing, all his past crimes will be brought back against him, and likely those he wasn't found guilty of, either.

Teneycke appeared in the prisoner's box in a Penticton courtroom today, appearing healthy and well-groomed, with a long, white beard.

Crown Prosecutor Kurt Froehlich’s first witness was Forensic Psychiatrist Ronald Chale, who discussed his assessment and treatment of Teneycke during psychiatric evaluations in the fall of 2007.

Chale said his ultimate impression was Teneycke exhibited no evidence of a major mental illness, following an assessment done at Oliver General Hospital after Teneycke complained of auditory and visual hallucinations along with paranoia.

"I was of the opinion Mr. Teneycke did not have a major mental illness like schizophrenia or bi-polar illness,” Chale told court, noting Teneycke’s symptoms resolved themselves without treatment, due to forced abstinence from street drugs during his incarceration.

The doctor concluded Teneycke’s symptoms were the result of a severe personality disorder combined with substance abuse.

Chale also discussed further interviews at Kamloops Correctional Centre in September, 2007, where Teneycke was incarcerated.

His diagnosis then was Teneycke suffered from polysubstance dependence, calling it "a pervasive pattern of abusing more than one drug.”

He said traits exhibited by someone suffering polysubstance dependence included intoxication, behavioural disinhibition, and in people with a personality disorder could result in a higher risk of aggression.

He called Teneycke’s personality disorder an established pattern of behaviour entrenched in Tenecyke by the time he was a teenager, involving dysfunctional behaviour that interfered with social and and occupational functions throughout adulthood.

Chale also noted Teneycke’s almost immediate relapse following release from a 13-year jail term as evidence of Teneycke’s substance abuse issues.

Chale also found Teneycke lacked insight into his behaviour, and even though he admitted at times to his drug use, refused to do anything to attempt abstinence.

He concluded Teneycke would need maximum supervision upon release from jail, as he believed Tenecyke had no internal controls limiting his behaviour and functioned best when controls were "applied externally.”

Chale also called it critical Teneycke remain drug and alcohol free in the future.

The hearing is expected to continue for the remainder of this week and reconvene again between July 24 and Aug. 1.

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