Barry Edward Sinclair poses high re-offending risk on parole

A Halifax man caught breaking into a south-end Halifax house has been released on parole, but officials warn he poses a high risk of sexually re-offending.

Barry Edward Sinclair got a five-year sentence in 2013 after his cellphone was found inside a woman's apartment. He faced several voyeurism charges linked to the "south-end sleepwatcher," but was cleared of those.

• Sinclairhad 2001 parole revoked after stalking a female volunteerat halfway house

"According to file information, most of your crimes are also a continuation of sexually motivated offences which date back to 1980, consisting of you entering homes of randomly selected females who you feel are alone or single," writes the Parole Board of Canada.

"You enter the home and observe them until you are discovered and some kind of reaction or resistance is offered."

The board notes he has had mental health issues and describes him as posinga high risk of sexually re-offending.

"There has been no progress made against your risk factors so there is no apparent decrease in your risk to the public," it says.

In his most recent conviction, Sinclair was discovered standing in the porch of a home while someone was inside. When confronted, he lied and said he was looking for a friend and then fled. Police picked him up nearby shortly after.

The documents note he has run off each time so far, but expressed serious concerns about "just how far you would go if the victim were to freeze or be in any way vulnerable."

He's done time for break and enters, sexual assault, theft, indecent exposure, trespassing at night and failing to comply with probation orders.

Now, he must not consume drugs or alcohol and must live in a half-way house. He also must follow his treatment plan "in the area of sexual deviancy."

The parole documents say when he was a boy, Sinclair was sexually abused and badly beaten by a family member. He also suffered a severe accident that may have left him with brain damage. His "sexual deviant behaviour" emerged in his teenage years.

The board notes his voyeurism offences date to at least 1995. It says he's failed on parole many times before,has a "dismal" history of conditional release, and refused programming help on this sentence.