The man known as the ‘Hemlock Rapist’ is being allowed more unescorted passes into the community.
Emile Cromwell is serving a 20-year sentence for break-and-enter with intent, sexual assault with a weapon and sexual assault causing bodily harm.
He raped four women in southwest Calgary’s Hemlock Crescent area between 1988 and 1992.
It took police nearly 12 years to crack the case, using DNA technology advancements.
The now-73-year-old was initially granted unescorted passes to visit his wife at her home in 2015, and was re-approved last July.
In documents from a late-December hearing, obtained by News Talk 770, the board said those passes can continue, including trips with his wife to grocery stores and banks.
Cromwell has a number of conditions he must abide by, including not speaking directly or indirectly with his victims or their families, not being in the presence of children unless he’s accompanied by an adult, and not buying or possessing child pornography.
The Parole Board said if Cromwell abides by these conditions, his participation in these passes won’t compromise public safety.
He has been deemed a moderate-to-low risk to re-offend.
In the written decision, the board also addressed what Cromwell’s family thinks about the situation.
“While your family has accepted the fact that you committed the sexual offenses, they maintain that this was out of your character,” the decision read. “They suggested your criminal behaviour was the result of a battle with mental illness and that you have since addressed your issues through counselling and medication.”