Ottawa police warn of high-risk offender released back into the public
A high-risk offender has been released into the Rideau-Vanier area of Ottawa, near the “ghost constituency office” of Prime Minister Mark Carney, leaving residents concerned about public safety.
A high-risk offender has been released into the Rideau-Vanier area of Ottawa, near the “ghost constituency office” of Prime Minister Mark Carney, leaving residents concerned about public safety where they have no local MP to turn to.
According to a statement from the Ottawa Police Service, Christopher Watts, 64, was convicted in 2003 of manslaughter, sexual assault and sexual interference in the death of a teen at his southern Ontario home in 2001. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail, followed by a 10-year Long Term Supervision Order, which began in 2015.
Despite his 12-year sentence and the fact he is still considered a “high risk” by police, Ottawa authorities say he is being released back into the community under a supervision order.
“The OPS believes that Watts poses a risk to the community, particularly women, including those under 18 years of age,” police said in a news release on Wednesday. “The OPS’s High-Risk Offender Management Unit deemed Watts poses a high risk of reoffending or breaching his terms. Watts will be monitored by the Correctional Services of Canada and the OPS High-Risk Offender Management Unit.”
Under his supervision orders, Watts must abide by multiple conditions:
He must stay at least 50 metres away from places where children under 18 congregate — including schools, parks, pools and recreation centres — unless an adult previously approved in writing by his parole supervisor accompanies him.
He is prohibited from being in the presence of any female child under 18 unless a responsible adult (who knows his criminal history and is approved in writing) supervises him, and he must not consume, purchase or possess illicit drugs.
As reported by Barbara Bal five days ago, a former police officer, reservist and Conservative Party candidate for the Nepean riding, Carney’s constituency office, where residents would typically voice concerns over such issues, has no phone number, no signage, and no building directory — offering concerned residents in that Ottawa riding no place to voice their concerns to a federal Member of Parliament.
The news from Ottawa police also comes on the heels of Carney pledging to provide substantive bail and criminal justice reforms which have thus far failed to materialize.