Man labelled high risk offender fighting back against RCMP warning
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CALGARY – The lawyer of a man the RCMP are classifying as a high risk offender is fighting back.
On Thursday, RCMP issued a warning stating that John Francis Dionne was a high risk sex offender who had a history of violent sex offences against women between the ages of 10 and 42.
Dionne has recently moved to the small town of Linden, Alberta.
He claims the information RCMP released is embellished. He admits he does have one conviction in Alberta for a sex offense against an adult prostitute.
Rebecca Snukal, Dionne’s defence lawyer, says they will be taking action, which could include defamatory libel against the RCMP.
“In my opinion the warning is full of misleading, inaccurate, prejudicial and private information.”
However, police say they did not issue the warning carelessly and believe it was a necessary precaution.
“Each and every comment in that [warning] has been well considered and we would want that out to the public,” says Sgt. Patrick Webb.
Dionne’s lawyer is also filing a complaint with the privacy commissioner in Alberta.
