Police warn of high-risk sex offender living in Halifax area

Police are warning the public of a high-risk offender who is living in the Halifax Regional Municipality after completing a sentence for sex-related crimes against children.

Michael Gary Gilbert of Tracyville, N.B., was sentenced in 2011 on charges including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference with a person under 14, printing or publishing child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The sentencing judge called Gilbert a callous sexual predator who befriended families in order to groom his young victims.

In a news release Thursday, Halifax Regional Police said Gilbert, now 51, is not permitted to have any contact with a person under 16 unless under the supervision of someone approved by the court.

Other conditions of his release include:

• Not engaging in any activity, employment or volunteer work that involves being in a position of trust or authority toward any person under the age of 16.

• Not using a computer system for the purpose of communicating with any person under the age of 16.

• Not attending any public park, public swimming area, daycare centre, school ground or community centre where one might reasonably expect children under the age of 16 to be present.

"This information is provided to alert members of the public of his presence in our community and is not intended to encourage any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct," police said in the release.

Citizens are asked to call police at 902-490-5020 if they believe Gilbert is violating the conditions of his release.