Man convicted for second sexual offence involving minors will now face a long-term offender hearing

By Medicine Hat News on June 11, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

A long-term offender hearing has been set for a local man convicted of his second sexual offence in six years involving minors.

That hearing will determine whether Austin Palmer would be released at the end of his new sentence, or potentially be placed under stepped up police supervision when his sentence is complete.

An agent for his attorney, Greg White, told Court of Justice in Medicine Hat on Tuesday that the three-day hearing has been set to take place in early December.

A long-term offender designation could increase time incarcerated or potentially allow a higher level of police supervision for 10 years after a prison sentence is concluded.

Palmer is currently awaiting sentencing.

In January, Palmer pled guilty to one count of having sexual contact with a child – one of three charges laid by Medicine Hat police in March 2024.

He was also charged with luring a child and breaching conditions of his probation stemming from a 2019 charge of child luring.

Court heard this winter that at the time Palmer was living with a local family with two children, touched a young male’s genitals on two occasions and solicited photos from a teenaged girl.

A complaint led to his arrest.

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