Toronto police warn public after convicted sex offender released in GTA

50-year-old Dave Anthoney Avis was released from prison this week (TPS photo).

Police are warning residents in the Toronto area that a convicted sex offender has been released from prison on “statutory release” and is now living somewhere in the GTA.

Officials say 50-year-old Dave Anthoney Avis was released this week on Thursday and will be supervised by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).

In a news release, police note Avis was convicted in 2018 in Winnipeg for sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault causing bodily harm, and three counts of forcible confinement.

“The Toronto Police Service is notifying the public about this offender because of his demonstrated risk to the community, including to sex trade workers,” Thursday’s police release read.

Officials add that Avis will be subject to several release conditions, including residing at an approved community-based residential or psychiatric facility, having no contact with the victims, not consuming alcohol or illegal drugs, having no contact with anyone under 18 unless approved by his parole supervisor, and reporting all relationships with females.

According to the Government of Canada, officials clarify the rules around statutory release are “not the same” as parole.

“By law, most federal inmates are automatically released after serving two-thirds of their sentence if they have not already been released on parole. This is called statutory release,” a statement reads online.

“Whether on parole or statutory release, offenders are supervised in the community by CSC and will be returned to prison if they are believed to present an undue risk to the public.”