Notorious sex offender who committed crimes in N.S. denied parole in New York

A sex offender who committed crimes in Nova Scotia more than 20 years ago and was later extradited to the U.S. will remain incarcerated in New York because his release "would be incompatible with the welfare of society," parole officials there said in a recent decision.

William Shrubsall, 51, is serving time for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl and bail jumping. He was 24 at the time of the sexual assault.

While on trial in Niagara Falls, N.Y., in May 1996, he left a suicide note saying he was going to jump into Niagara Falls.

Within days, Shrubsall turned up in Nova Scotia where he lived under aliases. While in the province, he committed a string of violent crimes and sex assaults before being arrested in June 1998.

Shrubsall was designated a dangerous offender in 2001. He was given an indeterminate prison sentence because of that.

A CBC News investigation revealed Canadian parole board members did not challenge factual misrepresentations made to them by Shrubsall in a 2018 parole hearing. Their controversial decision to parole him paved the way for his 2019 deportation to the U.S.

His deportation sparked outrage from victims, a Crown attorney who prosecuted his case and Nova Scotia's justice minister, who feared Shrubsall would be released from prison within a few years.

Shrubsall's first parole hearing in New York was held on Oct. 19, but the decision to deny him parole was only released recently.

What the parole board said

"After a review of the record, personal interview and deliberation, it is the determination of this panel, that if released at this time, there is a reasonable probability that you would not live at liberty without again violating the law," said the decision.

"Your release at this time would be incompatible with the welfare of society."

Shrubsall's long criminal history dates back to his teenage years.

In 1988, at age 17, he beat his mother to death with a baseball bat on the night before his high school graduation in Niagara Falls, N.Y., where he was to be the valedictorian. He ended up serving 16 months.

The recent parole decision noted that Shrubsall committed violent acts against women in two countries.

"Continue to gain further insight into what led to you committing these crimes and the lasting impact your actions may have had on your victims," it said.

The decision includes a transcript of the parole hearing. Some of the information is redacted.

The hearing was conducted by three commissioners.

Commissioner Tana Agostini noted Shrubsall comes "across as having a low opinion of women" and "consistently" finds fault with others.

Shrubsall disputed this.

Next parole hearing will be in 2024

"I apologize if I come across that way but I really don't have a low opinion of women," he said. "I think very highly of them."

Shrubsall said that if he was released from prison, he'd want to live in North Carolina. The plan would be to open a business with a friend who lives there. It's unclear who the friend is or the nature of the business.

Shrubsall's next parole hearing will be in October 2024.