High-risk offender in custody after breach of long-term supervision order

A high-risk offender living in Halifax is in custody after breaching several conditions of a long-term supervision order, according to Halifax Regional Police.

John Francis Normand Dionne, who has a lengthy criminal record and was convicted of kidnapping a 10-year-old girl in Calgary in 2011, was released from the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick earlier this year after completing a sentence for kidnapping, unlawful confinement and impersonating a peace officer.

In February, HRP issued a news release saying Dionne, 53, was now residing in the Halifax area and he was assessed as being at a high risk to reoffend.

He has been living at the Jamieson Community Correctional Centre, a halfway house owned by Corrections Canada in Burnside.

Police said Dionne was on a long-term supervision order and was required to follow strict conditions. He became subject of a recognizance on Jan.17.

Under a long-term supervision order, offenders can be sent back to prison if release conditions are broken.

Police said Dionne breached his conditions on the morning of July 26 while at a business on Akerley Boulevard in Dartmouth, where he was later arrested.

Dionne appeared in Dartmouth provincial court by video link Monday, where he faced one count of breach of a long-term supervision order and seven counts of breaching the conditions of a recognizance.

According to court documents obtained by CBC News, Dionne is accused of breaching the following conditions:

• Keeping the peace and maintaining good behaviour.
• Not associating with any person known to have a criminal record or is awaiting prosecution.
• Not being allowed to have any weapon outside his residence.
• Not being allowed to have any knife or sharp instrument outside his residence.
• Not entering any personal or romantic relationship with a person who is a parent of a child under the age of 18 without first telling police.
• Not visiting retail businesses for any purpose other than to conduct appropriate business, and while there, not loitering, lingering, initiating or encouraging any contact with a person under the age of 18.
• Not possess or use a computer, cell phone or any internet-enabled devices.
• To immediately tell police officers he comes in contact with that he is on a recognizance.

Police said Dionne, a long-term offender, has a criminal record dating back to 1985 that includes sexual assault, assault, kidnapping and drug trafficking.

According to a Parole Board of Canada decision dated Nov. 18, 2019, Dionne has assaulted "at least three young females."

Dionne remains in custody and is expected to appear in Dartmouth provincial court on Aug. 17.