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A victim of a man charged with over 70 voyeurism-related offences says she was left shaken after learning of his release through social media, only to discover hours later that he had been arrested again.
Kyle Hameluck, 37, was released from custody on Feb. 14 under statutory release in Saskatoon and was subject to court-ordered conditions. A public warning about his release was put out at the time.
Saskatoon police later confirmed that he was re-arrested within hours for allegedly breaching those conditions.
“I was not contacted by the police that he was being let out. I found out on Facebook,” the woman said, whose identity must stay anonymous due to a court-ordered publication ban.
She said the news triggered fear and anxiety.
“It was still really upsetting to find out in the middle of the day on social media. It also ensued a lot of panic and fear in myself knowing he was being let out into the community.”
In the police-issued public safety advisory ahead of Hameluck’s release, they cited concerns about his criminal history and potential to reoffend.
Hameluck’s prior convictions were tied to dozens of offences, including voyeurism, indecent acts and trespassing at night.
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Authorities said Hameluck’s release conditions prohibited him from possessing or using any cellphone or digital device capable of taking photos or videos.
Saskatoon Police Service said the decision to issue the advisory was made “in the interest of public safety.”
“The release regarding his re-arrest was issued in follow-up to the public safety advisory to maintain the same level of communication in keeping the public informed,” said Saskatoon police in a statement to Global News.
According to police, Hameluck was arrested near Midtown Plaza less than four hours after his release for allegedly using a cellphone contrary to his conditions.
Shea Neudorf, a defence lawyer who specializes in sexual assault cases, said statutory release is a standard part of Canada’s correctional system.
“In Canada, we don’t have a system where we just lock people up and throw away the key. Sentences are typically finite,” Neudorf said.
“When Mr. Hameluck finished serving two-thirds of his sentence, he would have been eligible for statutory release, where he is released into the community under very strict conditions.”
While on statutory release, offenders are still monitored, Neudorf said.
“It’s important for the public to know that we don’t want people serving their entire sentence and then being pushed out into the world where they are no longer subject to corrections,” she said.
However, she said victims and families are not always fully informed about how the process works.
“That process isn’t always made clear to complainants and families at the beginning, so they’re often left in the dark about what to expect.”
The victim said she has since moved to another community, which has helped ease some of her fears, but she remains concerned for others.
“When people are determined to do something, they’re going to find a way to do it, no matter what,” she said.
“I feel fearful for the people living there… it is a heavily university student-populated area.”
The woman said she has written to elected officials calling for changes to how such cases are handled.
“I still feel like my life has changed.”
Hameluck’s bail hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18.
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