In the courtroom of British Columbia’s Judge Andrew Tam, the scales of justice don’t tip toward protecting the public. They tip toward protecting the court—and minimizing the consequences for sex offenders.

In May 2025, Tam sentenced Mark Keenan, who was caught with six images of child pornography, to zero days in jail. Citing the “relatively modest” size of the collection, Tam gave Keenan 18 months of house arrest and one year of probation.

That same spring, Tam sentenced Troy Alvin Mruk—a man who lied about a family emergency to delay sentencing and sent inappropriate texts to a victim—to 358 days in jail. Not for a violent crime. Not for sex crimes. For misleading the court.

But the most disturbing of Judge Tam’s recent rulings might be the case of Taylor Dueck—a repeat child sex offender who was described in court as almost certain to reoffend. Tam acknowledged the danger Dueck posed. And yet? Less than a year of jail time.

Case 1: The “Relatively Modest” Child Porn Offender

Mark Keenan was found with six images of child sexual abuse on a hidden phone. During sentencing, Tam acknowledged the nature of the material was serious—but said the quantity was small. So Keenan got house arrest, a curfew, and a ban on accessing the internet. No jail.

Case 2: Jail Time—for Lying to the Court

Then came the case of Troy Alvin Mruk. He lied to the court about his mother being hospitalized and tried to delay his own sentencing. He also sent inappropriate texts to a victim.

For this, Judge Tam gave Mruk 358 days in jail—more time behind bars than Keenan, whose crimes involved the sexual exploitation of children.

Tam was clear: Mruk had shown “contempt for the justice system.” Apparently, that kind of offense still triggers the full weight of the law.

Case 3: A Serial Predator, and a Ticking Time Bomb

The most chilling case? Taylor Dueck, a man with a long and well-documented history of sexual offenses against minors. He was on probation when he attempted to assault an 11-year-old girl at a Kelowna equestrian centre. This wasn’t his first time.

• In 2014, Dueck served 4.5 years in prison for multiple sexual assaults on teenage girls.

• In 2022, he served another year for sexual interference.

• And in 2024, he was charged again—for trying to molest a child while on probation.

Dueck’s IQ is reportedly in the 56–67 range. Judge Tam cited his intellectual limitations—but also noted that Dueck is almost certain to reoffend. Tam even said that without “supports in place,” reoffending was “all but inevitable.”

The sentence? Two years less a day—served provincially, not federally—meaning less oversight and shorter parole. With time served, he had just 249 more days in custody. That’s not just lenient—it’s a ticking time bomb, released into the public with little more than crossed fingers and probation conditions.

A System That Protects Itself—Not Children

There is a pattern: child pornography, sexual interference, and attempted child assault all receive conditional or minimal sentences. But lie to the judge? You’re going to jail.

This isn’t a one-off mistake—it’s a judicial philosophy. One that places more value on preserving the courtroom’s dignity than protecting children.

Compare the Sentences:

What Is the Justice System Actually Defending?

These aren’t just poor decisions. They’re dangerous ones.

Judge Tam acknowledged Dueck is likely to strike again—and still released him with minimal consequences. He believes Keenan’s “modest” stash of child rape images doesn’t warrant jail time. But he’ll lock up a man for lying to a judge.

The message is loud and clear: the justice system will protect itself more fiercely than it protects your children.

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