A high-risk offender is back in police custody just hours after he was released into the community. Medhani Yohans, a 36-year-old man, was released from custody in Guelph Provincial Court on Monday after he pleaded guilty to breaching a probation order. “He had served a significant amount of pre-trial custody, so he was released by the court after entering that plea,” Scott Tracey, media relations coordinator with the Guelph Police Service, told CTV News. Upon his release, some community members immediately began to raise concerns online. “If we consider him a danger to the public, why is he being released? That’s a decision that’s made by the court, not by the police. In this case, he’s obviously served what the court deemed to be sufficient time in custody up until this date. The court deemed it was appropriate to release him,” Tracey explained. A short time later, officers with the Guelph Police Service rearrested Yohans at 2:35 p.m., less than two hours after his release. The police said he was seen breaching his probation order by visiting a particular address. He now faces another count of breaching probation due to Monday’s arrest. He is due in bail court on Tuesday. A history of violence Yohans is well known to local police officers. Prior to his release on Monday, he had been behind bars since an arrest last July. Yohans has a history of violence, including at least two sexual assaults involving strangers. “The Guelph Police Service believes that Yohans poses a risk to the community, particularly to women, and is concerned that he may commit similar offences in the future,” a news release said, following his release on Monday. The Toronto Police Service announced Yohans had been released on July 29, 2024. In response, the Guelph Police Service warned he may pose a risk to the community, especially women. They also expressed concern he may commit “similar offences” in the future. Yohans was required to check-in with Guelph Police within seven days of his release in Toronto. When he failed to do that, a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody by Guelph Police Service officers on Aug. 23, 2024, and released on March 1, 2025. A week later, on March 8, 2025, Yohans was rearrested for once again breaching the conditions set out for him. He was released the next day. Less than 24 hours later, Guelph police said he was taken into custody again after he was found sleeping on a bench at the University of Guelph. Yohans completed his sentence on July 24, 2025, and, as before, he was rearrested the following day. Up until Monday, he had been behind bars ever since that arrest. At one point, he refused to appear in court for his bail hearing. Police have said he has a history in Guelph dating back to 2017.
