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A Halifax sex offender who was sentenced to 4½ years in prison last month in a case involving a four-year-old girl has been released on bail as he awaits an appeal.
Robert Warren Munro, 41, spent about three weeks behind bars after being sentenced in December on a charge of sexual interference.
The charge was related to an incident that occurred in May 2023. Munro, who was a close friend of the victim’s family, had been babysitting when he sexually assaulted the young girl.
The appeal documents allege the court and trial judge erred in its decision and both sides agreed there are reasonable grounds for appeal.
Munro appeared in Nova Scotia Court of Appeal on Thursday. His lawyer and the Crown argued whether he should be released on bail with conditions pending his appeal hearing in September.
Crown prosecutor Erica Koresawa opposed Munro’s release, but she said the court came up with a plan that imposes tight controls and penalties on him.
“It is a very strict release plan with a high value, so everybody who’s involved, the sureties and Mr. Munro, know that there’s a lot at stake should there be any breaches,” Koresawa said following court Thursday.
Crown prosecutor Erica Koresawa opposed Munro’s release at the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal on Thursday. (Galen McRae/CBC)
Munro will remain on house arrest living with his mother, who will act as one of his sureties, in her south-end Halifax home. His father is his other surety.
Other conditions of his release include:
Having no direct contact or communication with the victim or her family and remaining at least 25 metres away from their homes, schools and workplaces.Remaining at his residence at all times, except for medical or legal appointments while being accompanied by one of his sureties.He must present himself at his mother’s door when police check on him.Having no contact or communication with anyone under the age of 18, unless in the physical company of one of his sureties.
Munro and his parents have pledged a total of $27,000 to ensure he sticks by these conditions.
But they offer no comfort to the victim’s mother.
“I feel that there was a callous disregard for the victims’ well-being,” she told CBC News on Thursday, following the bail hearing’s outcome.
“The system is supposed to serve the public interest, and I just don’t feel that that’s what it’s doing right now.”
WATCH | Victim’s mother speaks out ahead of bail hearing:
Mother concerned daughter’s abuser will be released on bail pending appeal
Nova Scotia mother whose daughter was sexually assaulted at a young age wants the justice system to change to avoid retraumatizing victims and their families. The CBC’s Cassidy Chisholm explains.
The mother, who CBC News is not identifying to protect her daughter who is the subject of a publication ban, pointed to Munro’s previous breaches of conditions by being around children.
Police say he breached the conditions of his bail while awaiting trial. He’s expected to face six charges stemming from those breaches in January 2027.
“I feel that we’re being retraumatized over again. I feel that right now we just need to reset and focus on how we can live our best lives,” she said.
“But I really fail to see how house arrest is an adequate condition.”
She said while she and her family are disappointed in this outcome, they’re still hopeful.
“I just hope that in the future we can have a system that is geared toward protecting the victims,” she said.
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