Child sex offender released, police warn

Police in Calgary are warning the public about a recently released sex offender who they say has used manipulation to gain access to young girls.

Matthew Ralf Harks, 27, was released to the Calgary area after serving a three-year federal prison term for sexual assault.

Harks has criminal convictions for offences against young female victims, police said Wednesday in a release. He did not know his victims and has used manipulation to gain access them, they added.

Harks is subject to a 10-year long term supervision order, which is monitored byCorrectional Services of Canada. He will also be supervisedby the Calgary police's high-risk offender program.

Police are issuing the warning "after careful deliberation and consideration of all related issues, including privacy concerns, in the belief that it is clearly in the public interest," they said.

But the intent is to let the public "take suitable precautionary measures" and not to take vigilante action, they added.