Pictou County District RCMP charged a man with breaching a prohibition order that stems from
convictions in 2021 for sexual offences.
In June and August 2017, Pictou County District RCMP charged Gerald Paul Ward of Pictou in relation to sexual offences against children. Ward was remanded into custody and remained in custody until his convictions on two counts of Sexual Interference and two counts of Making and Distributing Child Pornography in June 2021. As part of the sentencing, Ward was placed on a lifetime prohibition order, which banned him from accessed the internet or other digital network. In April 2022, Ward was released from custody after having completed his sentence.
On May 9, 2022, Pictou County District RCMP received complaints about the man using the internet contrary to his prohibition order. RCMP officers began investigating the matter.
The 55-year-old Ward has been charged with Failure to Comply with a Prohibition Order. Ward appeared in Pictou Provincial Court on May 25 and was released by the courts on conditions that include that he not possess any devices capable of accessing the internet, nor can he use the internet directly or indirectly. Ward will return to Pictou Provincial Court on July 6th at 9:30 a.m.
The investigation is continuing.