Toronto police have released a warning about a high-risk offender they say poses a risk to the community and children who has been released from prison earlier this month.
On March 14, Simon Gares, 43 was released from prison to reside in a community-based residential facility in Toronto on statutory release.
In 2019, police say Gares was convicted of assault causing bodily harm and found to be a Dangerous Offender.
Court documents show Gares’ victim was a five-year-old child who, in 2016, was assaulted while entering a bakery with his mother and brother.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing Gares kick the child with great force, the documents show.
Get daily National news
Court documents show the young child was rendered temporarily unconscious and taken to hospital.
Police say Gares is subject to a long-term supervision order and a lifetime weapons prohibition order.
In 2024, police say Gares was convicted of breaching his long-term supervision order and was incarcerated until earlier this month.
Court documents also show in 2013, Gares “threatened to kill elementary school aged children” when he was angered by the Children’s Aid Society’s refusal to allow him access to his own children.
Records show his lawyer felt these threats to be “sufficiently serious to necessitate informing the police.”
- Lori Vallow Daybell found guilty of conspiring to kill her 4th husband
- Ex-Canada world junior players ‘did what they wanted,’ Crown argues at sex assault trial
- ‘People have almost died’: Soaring N.S. lobster fishing tensions revealed
- N.B. woman tells her story, says it’s ‘getting worse’ with intimate partner violence
He was convicted on two charges of threatening death, theft, assault with intent to resist arrest and for failing to comply with probation.
Upon his release in 2015, police issued a public warning to about two dozen public schools in his former neighborhood, sending home letters to parents about his “threat to public safety.”
While on statutory release, Gares has numerous conditions, including not entering drinking establishments, not consuming alcohol, not consuming drugs, and following a treatment plan.
The Toronto Police Service says it is notifying the public about Gares because of his demonstrated risk to the community and children.
Anyone with information about Gares asked by police to call them or Crime Stoppers.
Comments