Convicted child abuser Cesar Lalo's release conditions loosened

The Parole Board of Canada has agreed to dramatically loosen restrictions imposed on one of Nova Scotia’s most notorious child abusers, Cesar Lalo.

Lalo was found guilty of sexually assaulting 29 boys from 1973 to 1989 while working as a probation officer and social worker with the province of Nova Scotia. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

He was released from the Kingston Penitentiary in the fall of 2009. Lalo had served five years of his sentence. At the time of his release, the parole board imposed severe restrictions on him.

Lalo was ordered to stay off the internet, stay away from places children might frequent, undergo psychiatric counselling, avoid any pornography and undergo chemical castration.

He was placed under a long-term supervision order for ten years. He was caught in breach of that order on a couple of occasions and returned to prison. His breaches included accessing and viewing child pornography.

Every time Lalo was re-arrested, his long-term supervision order was halted. The countdown only resumed when he was again released from prison. The order is now scheduled to expire in 2020.

Lalo is now in his mid-70s and living in Ontario. Following a hearing last month, the parole board decided it could lift many of the restrictions he has lived under since his release from prison.

The board will no longer require Lalo to undergo chemical castration. He’s also free to own a computer and surf the web and view and download pornography.

The board has even loosened restrictions on the places Lalo can go. Now, he’s only prevented from being near schools, playgrounds and recreational facilities unless accompanied by an approved adult. His original restrictions required him to stay away from libraries, family restaurants, public washrooms and public venues including concert halls, fairs, arcades and churches.