Full parole granted to Interior Health's former top doctor convicted of sexually abusing child

WARNING: This article contains references to sexual abuse and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​abuse or know someone affected by it.

Albert de Villiers, the former chief medical officer of Interior Health, who was found guilty of sexual interference against a young child in Alberta, has been granted full parole.

De Villiers was found guilty in Grande Prairie, Alta., in February 2023 of repeated sexual offences against a young boy over a two-year period between 2018 and 2020. The judge sentenced him to five and a half years in prison.

Prior to his arrest in 2021, de Villiers worked in Kelowna, B.C., as the top doctor for Interior Health, a position he assumed in August 2020.

Before working in public health in British Columbia, de Villiers was a medical health officer for Alberta's north zone for 16 years.

A recent Parole Board of Canada decision said de Villiers does not pose an undue risk to society and noted he has taken his day parole conditions seriously, according to a decision dated April 6.

De Villiers was assessed as a minimum-security offender and has been on day parole at a halfway house since Oct. 16, 2024. He was supervised with no reported concerns, according to the decision.

"You have spent the majority of your time rebuilding your relationship with your wife and sons," the decision states. "You were approved [for] travel permits to spend time with family and engage in pro-social recreational activities like hiking and spending time in nature."

The board said de Villiers has confirmed a plan for full parole, including the support of his family, employment and rabbi.

It said De Villiers has secured employment working with his wife on an online business, the name of which was redacted in the decision.

Board members said there are no reported concerns by local RCMP.

The decision states a psychologist finds de Villiers's risk to reoffend "generally is very low, violently is low and sexually is average."

"It was noted that if you do not have unsupervised access to children, your risk would be even lower."

De Villiers is not allowed to contact the victim, the victim's family members, or any male children under the age of 16 unless approved by his parole supervisor.

De Villiers is also not allowed to own more than one phone or SIM card without permission. He must give unlocked access to his parole supervisor if asked to allow monitoring of his photos, text messages, call logs and emails.

He cannot purchase or access any type of pornography or sexually explicit material, and he cannot go near areas where children gather, such as daycares, grade schools, parks or playgrounds.

But the board said it did not "lose sight" of the gravity of de Villiers's offence.

It noted several aggravating factors in de Villiers's sentencing included "the young age of the victim, the significant harm that was reported by the victim and his parents to have occurred. You were in a position of trust, the duration and frequency of sexual contact, that grooming behaviour occurred, and the high degree of sexual interference that took place during the sexual contact."

"The impacts on the victim and your betrayal of trust and authority on him and his family can not be overstated," the board said in its decision.

Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. ​​If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.