Man who broke brother’s jaw declared long-term offender, released from custody

A 57-year-old man from Nova Scotia, Scott David Desrosiers, was recently released from custody and ordered to live in a halfway house after being sentenced as a long-term offender. Desrosiers has a history of violent offenses, including fracturing his brother’s jaw and skull during an attack.

The Parole Board of Canada, while unable to disclose Desrosiers’ current location, stated that he must return to a halfway house nightly, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and report all intimate relationships with women. Desrosiers was sentenced to 6½ years in prison for aggravated assault but was released early due to time served in pretrial custody.

Justice Diane Rowe imposed a 10-year supervision order on Desrosiers, noting his pattern of violence dating back to 1989. Evidence presented at sentencing highlighted the need for a plan to control Desrosiers’ risk in the community, requiring ongoing supervision by Corrections.

Desrosiers has a troubling history of violence, including sexually torturing a woman in 1999 and assaulting a 68-year-old woman a decade prior. Following his release in 2019, Desrosiers moved in with his family in South Brookfield, where he assaulted his brother, leading to serious injuries requiring surgical intervention.

Desrosiers pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was designated as a long-term offender, subject to supervision by the Correctional Service of Canada after his prison sentence. The long-term offender designation allows for specific conditions to be imposed, with the possibility of re-incarceration for breaching these conditions.

Overall, Desrosiers’ release into the community raises concerns about public safety, emphasizing the need for stringent supervision and intervention to mitigate the risk of reoffending. The complex nature of his case underscores the challenges of managing high-risk offenders within the criminal justice system.