Man deemed ‘high-risk sex offender’ in 2014 charged with violent sexual assault in Halifax

A convicted sex offender, whom the Parole Board of Canada once called an “opportunistic violent offender,” has been charged in connection with a Halifax sexual assault.

Halifax Regional Police (HRP) received a report last Friday at 11:50 a.m. that a man had broken into a residence in the 6000-block of Cunard Street and sexually assaulted a woman, before fleeing the home. Police said there was no indication at the time that the victim knew her attacker.

READ MORE: Man arrested after woman sexually assaulted in Halifax: police

By 4:30 p.m., police had arrested a suspect at a home in the 0-100 block of McFatridge Road.

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Sem Paul Obed, 47, is charged with aggravated sexual assault, choking to overcome resistance, uttering threats, break and enter and two counts of breaching court orders.

WATCH: Sex offender released into Halifax

Obed appeared in Halifax Provincial Court on Monday. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance on June 20.

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“We go before the court and the defence can apply for bail. The Crown would have opposed it and we will oppose it if they do make that application,” said Crown attorney Carla Ball.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We go before the court and the defence can apply for bail. The Crown would have opposed it and we will oppose it if they do make that application," said Crown attorney Carla Ball.

Considered high risk to re-offend

In August 2014, HRP issued an advisory about Obed because he was considered a high-risk to re-offend and was moving to the Halifax area after being released from federal prison. He had served a full two-year sentence for a violent assault on a bartender in Newfoundland.

It was his third federal sentence.

According to the Parole Board, his criminal history included attempted murder, assaulting a man at a bar, sexual assault of a woman walking down the street at night, sexual assault against a close family member and an alleged sexual assault against a toddler, the last of which did not result in a criminal charge.

“Your file describes you as an opportunistic violent offender with a pattern of violent sexual offending. You have no remorse for your behaviour or no empathy for your victims,” Parole Board documents read.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Your file describes you as an opportunistic violent offender with a pattern of violent sexual offending. You have no remorse for your behaviour or no empathy for your victims," Parole Board documents read.

READ MORE: Parole documents paint Obed as ‘opportunistic violent offender’

According to the Parole Board, a psychologist recommended psychotherapy and a psychiatric assessment, but Obed refused to participate in a sexual offender program.

“In the psychologist’s opinion, you have no insight into your criminality and show limitations to manage your sexual urges,” the document goes on to read.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In the psychologist's opinion, you have no insight into your criminality and show limitations to manage your sexual urges," the document goes on to read.

As part of the terms of his release in 2014, Obed was under conditions to avoid purchasing or consuming alcohol and to stay in his residence from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily.

With a file from Julia Wong

Follow @RebeccaLau