A sex offender who moved into a small community near Sussex, N.B. earlier this year has packed his bags and moved to another community, sparking outrage in that village.
Terrance Leger was released to the community of Collina in February after serving more than two years on three counts of sexual interference involving young boys.
Leger was deemed a high risk to reoffend and residents of Collina rallied together to get him out of their community.
“I don’t know the reasons why he’s not living in Collina now, the circumstances that have put him out of that community, but it’s put him into the Penobsquis community,” says Sussex RCMP Sgt. Dale Morgan.
Leger is now living 30 kilometres away in Penobsquis, but he is no more welcome there than he was in Collina.
“I have a teenager. I have a three-year-old grandson, so I’m really nervous,” says Lila Johnson, who is living next door to Leger.
Morgan says Leger has been ordered to abide by a number of conditions, which include no contact with minors, staying away from schools and a midnight curfew.
Police say he has met all of his conditions so far, so there is little they can do about him relocating.
“Whether they have a criminal record or not, these types of individuals have served their time and they’re free to live in the community and they’re free to live in a place of their choosing,” says Morgan.
But that reasoning isn’t sitting well with Johnson.
“He shouldn’t be this close to children. I’m assuming, if they’re working right here in my backyard, he’s so close,” she says. “Then the bus stop, that’s there. You just, you want people to be aware that this person is here.”
Residents will have a chance to voice their concerns at a meeting at the Penobsquis Community Centre Wednesday evening.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Dunbar
