EDMONTON

An Edmonton serial rapist who called his attacks “barbaric” and even re-offended while undergoing sex offender treatment has been designated a dangerous offender.

As a result, Anthony Clark, 35, was handed an indefinite prison sentence on Friday.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sterling Sanderman accepted expert psychiatric evidence concluding that Clark poses a high risk to commit further sexual violence and ruled there were no lesser measures available which could adequately protect the public.

The judge also noted that all of Clark’s sexual attacks involved “complete strangers” and they were accompanied by “considerable” anger and violence.

“These are the kind of attacks that have a terrifying aspect to them,” Sanderman said.

The Crown sought to have Clark declared a dangerous offender and handed an indefinite prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to raping a woman in the river valley.

Court has heard the victim was violently attacked by Clark in a densely wooded area after he found her walking down a river valley bike path near the Queen Elizabeth Pool about 9:30 p.m. on July 11, 2010.

Clark turned himself in to police two hours later and confessed to the rape, saying he was high on crack cocaine.

The victim courageously confronted Clark in court last week during his dangerous offender hearing.

Court has also heard Clark was sent to prison for a brutal Ontario rape in 1996 and he was also handed a six-year sentence for an attempted sex assault in Edmonton in 1999 while he was on parole for the earlier attack.

Psychiatrist Dr. Roger Brown testified Clark is very likely to re-offend based on the fact he has already re-offended despite having taken extensive sex offender treatment.

“His risk is significantly higher than the average Canadian sex offender,” Brown said.

The psychiatrist also noted in a report that Clark has said he himself was a victim of emotional and physical abuse as a child and claims he was also sexually abused. As well, Clark revealed he was a teen prostitute.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Clark apologized for his “barbaric” crimes and begged for another chance, saying he wanted to get help and change his ways.

However, Sanderman noted Friday that Clark had done the same thing at earlier sentencings and said he has “little faith” that Clark can change regardless of his desires.