A rare public warning has been issued regarding a 43-year-old man who was released from prison earlier this month and who Toronto Police say poses a risk to the community – including children. Read More
Toronto Police have taken the rare step of issuing a public warning because the man poses a risk to the community – including children
Toronto Police have taken the rare step of issuing a public warning because the man poses a risk to the community – including children
A rare public warning has been issued regarding a 43-year-old man who was released from prison earlier this month and who Toronto Police say poses a risk to the community – including children.
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Simon Gares, who was convicted of assault causing bodily harm in 2019 and deemed to be a “dangerous offender,” was freed March 14 on a statutory release to live in a community-based residential facility in the city.
“The Toronto Police Service is notifying the public about this offender because of his demonstrated risk to the community, including children,” police said in a statement Tuesday night.
The statement goes on to explain that “under Regulation 412/23 of the Community Safety and Policing Act, a chief of police or his designate may disclose personal information about an individual if he reasonably believes the individual poses a significant risk of harm to other persons or property and believes that such disclosure would reduce that risk.”
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Court documents show Gares assaulted a five-year-old boy as he walked into a bakery with his mom and brother in 2016.
Gares kicked the little boy so hard that he was knocked unconscious and had to be treated in hospital.
Police said Gares was previously released only to be locked up again last year for breaching his long-term supervision order.
Under his current release conditions, he is once again subject to a long-term supervision order and a lifetime weapons prohibition order.
The conditions of Gares’ statutory release also prohibit him from entering drinking establishments, consuming alcohol or drugs, and require him to follow a treatment plan arranged by his parole supervisor.
Anyone with information regarding Gares can call the Sex Crimes Unit at 416-808-7474 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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