High-risk offender charged in assault on woman

Calgary police havecharged a man with aggravated assaultfive weeks after issuing a public warning about his history of attacking women in parkades.

Michael Andrew Scott, 35, faces new charges of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, break and enter, forcible confinement, possession of a weapon and breach of recognizance, police announced Friday. He remains in custody.

Police said Scott was arrested after a stranger burst through an unlocked doorof a home on15 Avenue S.W. on Oct. 1 at 12:30 p.m.The man then wentafter a woman, who was alone, with a knife.

The home invader "assaulted the woman for several minutes until the woman was able to make enough noise to scare him off. The offender ran from the house and disappeared into downtown traffic," saidStaff Sgt. Curtis Olson.

Scott had criminal history

Police issued a warning about Scott five weeks ago, saying he had a history of randomly targeting women in parkades and other secluded areas.

Scott wasreleased into the Calgary areaon Sept. 3 after serving more than 12 years in the Bowden Institution for three counts of sexual assault, two counts of robbery and two counts of uttering threats.

At the time of his release, policesaid they issued a warning about Scott "in the belief that it is clearly in the public interest to inform the members of the community."

Scott, who isin theCalgary Police Service's high-risk offender program, was required under the terms of his release toreport regularly to police, follow a curfew and refrain from being around drugs, alcohol or weapons.

Under Section 32 of Alberta's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, a public body can release information about a risk of significant harm to the environment or to the health or safety of the public.