Residents in Vanier are on alert after posters of a convicted sex offender were plastered across their neighbourhood.
"The whole neighbourhood's very concerned. My mother, for example, is terrified right now. Anytime I'm not around she locks the door. Normally, the door is never locked. I have neighbours that are also senior citizens that are also concerned," Eli Irani told CTV Ottawa on Wednesday.
The concern comes after a convicted sex offender recently moved into a halfway house in the area following his release from the Kingston Penitentiary where he was serving a two-year sentence for the assault of a teenage girl in Peterborough.
It's the second time in the past few months Leonard Watts, 47, has run into resistance.
Police say Watts had originally planned to live in Brockville after his release, but later decided to move to Ottawa after Brockville police issued a photo of him and a Facebook group was formed to warn the community about his plans to move to the area. Unlike Brockville police, Ottawa police did not warn the public Watts was moving to the Capital.
Many residents who live in Watts' new Ottawa neighbourhood, however, have been far from welcoming.
"I don't feel very good because there's a lot of children around here," said Carmen Seguin.
Meanwhile, other residents told CTV Ottawa the man deserves a second chance to get his life in order.
Police say Watts has agreed to undergo treatment and is not believed to be high risk at this time.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley
