Kamloops man who beat teen with bat denied parole

Photo: Contributed

Jessie Simpson, prior to the 2016 attack.

A Kamloops man who viciously beat a teenager with a bat in 2016, leaving the teen with a permanent brain injury, was recently denied parole.

Kristopher Teichrieb, now 43 years old, struck a plea deal with the Crown two years ago, pleading guilty to the 2016 aggravated assault of Jessie Simpson.

Following a high school graduation party, the five-foot-five, 155-pound Simpson walked through the property of Teichrieb's Brocklehurst home in the early morning hours of June 19, 2016. Teichrieb confronted Simpson and beat him with an aluminum baseball bat, fracturing the young man's skull, before dragging him into the street and kicking him.

Simpson suffered a serious brain injury, and remains “extremely cognitively impaired.” He's expected to require 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

Teichrieb was sentenced to seven years in prison for the assault, but was left with three years and eight months after his sentencing when he was credited for time served.

Last month, the Parole Board of Canada denied Teichrieb's request for both full parole or day parole, describing his risk to public safety risk as “moderate.”

“The Board has determined that because you have not fully expressed insight and accountability, you have medium need for improvement in contributing risk factors, you are unable to identify exact program skills you can use to manage yourself, you do not appear to understand your temper, you deflect blame and responsibility on undiagnosed mental challenges, you behaved violently and broke rules in the institution, you did not take direction consistently, and you are either unable to or unwilling to say why you behaved in such an extremely violent manner rather than follow police direction and advice, that it has sufficient reliable and persuasive information to determine that your risk on day or full parole would be undue at this time,” the Parole Board wrote in its decision, noting the harm he caused to Simpson and his family was “extreme.”

Teichrieb, who's incarcerated in Mission, told the Parole Board that he thinks about and prays for Simpson every day.

Offenders are able to apply for full parole after completing one-third of their sentence. Most offenders who are denied parole will be eligible for statutory release after serving two-thirds of their sentence. While Teichrieb was denied parole, he will be eligible for statutory release next spring. 

The Parole Board imposed a number of conditions on Teichrieb's future statutory release, including orders to avoid drugs, engage in treatment around managing rage and violence and avoiding contact with Simpson and his family.

“The victim's family have every right to be left alone to heal,” the Board said. “The primary victim needs care for the rest of his life and should be able to live that life in peace without any unwanted or unnecessary contact from you.”

Simpson has filed a civil lawsuit against Teichrieb, seeking damages for the extensive injuries he suffered. That case is scheduled to go to trial in January.