B.C. child abductor's interrogation video released by court

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has released lengthy police interviews heard in court during the two-day sentencing hearing for the man who abducted a young boy for four days last year.

During the interrogation, the confessed abductor, Randall Hopley, tells police he took three-year-old Kienan Hebert from his Sparwood home in September 2011 to get even with the justice system after his conviction for an attempting to abduct a 10-year-old in 2008.

Hopley, 46, said that during the four days, he kept Hebert in a cabin, playing with toys and watching cartoons, before eventually returning him home.

He also says that he did not sexually assault the boy, although a police officer, and the boy’s father, Paul Hebert, who was also present in the interrogation, did not take Hopley's assurances at face value and are seen continually and carefully questioning him about details of what he and the boy did together.

The prosecution is asking to have Hopley declared a dangerous offender and put in prison indefinitely and has asked he be committed to a 60-day psychiatric assessment.

As the hearing ended in the city of Cranbrook Thursday, Justice Heather Holmes reserved her decision on the Crown's assessment request.

A dangerous offender declaration is the most severe sentence available in Canada. It allows authorities to imprison indefinitely an offender who has caused "serious personal injury."

Hopley has an extensive criminal record, with a history of abduction and sexual assault.

He was recently out of jail and on probation when he abducted Hebert, and Crown lawyer Lynal Doersken said that public safety is at risk unless Hopley is behind bars.

On Wednesday, the court heard Hopley say he took Hebert as revenge against the justice system.

Hopley's lawyer William Thorne will argue that in the four days Hopley had the boy Hebert wasn't harmed, and that his client is a "very simple man who did a very stupid thing."

Father of abducted boy says he would visit Hopley in prison

On Thursday, the court finished watching selections from the six-hour long video interrogation.

Hopley told police he took Kienan to an abandoned home across the Alberta border where he had hooked up power, brought a television and videos for the boy to watch and a teddy bear.

Hopley told police that during the four days Kienan Hebert never appeared upset.

"I think he pretty much had a good time … he never cried once," said Hopley in the interrogation.

Kienan told police the only traumatic thing that happened was when Hopley killed a rat at the cabin.

The RCMP said they had brought in Kienan's father to speak with Hopley in the hope for more information.

Hopley was pressed as to whether he hurt or touched the boy, but insisted nothing inappropriate of that sort occurred.

After a daylong interrogation, the RCMP investigator shook Hopley's hand and said "Randall, I believe you. You did the right thing bringing KIenan home."

Paul Hebert then said "I believe you too," and Hopley started to cry.

Hebert told Hopley he was forgiven, urged him to change his life and read the Bible. He then gave Hopley his phone number and assured him he would visit him in prison.