A man who viciously beat women and recently completed a five-year prison sentence in Alberta moved into his new home in Ottawa yesterday, a downtown halfway house.

Jean Guy Tremblay, who is originally from Montreal, has 14 convictions for beating, stalking and choking women in Quebec and Alberta. The offences date to 1989.

Yesterday, Ottawa police posted a public advisory on its website warning the community of Mr. Tremblay's release and his 10-year long-term supervision order.

Sgt. Paul Heffler, who is with the Ottawa police high-risk offender unit, said the 42-year-old is staying at one of two halfway houses, either on MacLaren Steet or Gilmour Street. He would not say which one.

Sgt. Heffler said because of Mr. Tremblay's "attitude and lack of insight that contribute to his re-offence cycles," it was necessary to advise women in Ottawa that Mr. Tremblay will be on the streets.

Mr. Tremblay did not seek, nor did he receive, treatment or counselling during his time in jail.

He wouldn't co-operate with Corrections Canada or police. As a result, he is considered a high risk to reoffend.

Documents filed in Alberta show that during Mr. Tremblay's parole hearing in April he stated that he has such anger toward and disdain for his former victims that he's not sure he could control his violent tendencies in the future.

"He (Mr. Tremblay) is somebody who seeks out females either for intimate relationships or just for live-in relationships," said Sgt. Heffler, who believes Mr. Tremblay could try to meet women in bars.

"So, any circumstance where he can foster that kind of relationship puts that person at risk because then he becomes controlling and that basically leads to terrorizing the victims."

Some women in the area where the halfway houses are located said they would be more careful about their dealings with strangers.

Carole Bonneau, 36, who, with a friend was last night walking from her home in the area to a Bank Street bar, said she took a long, hard look at Mr. Tremblay's photograph when it was shown on television yesterday.

She said she will be extra careful about striking up conversations with strangers when she's in bars in future.

"I certainly wouldn't want to talk to this guy in a bar and I wouldn't want my friend talking to him either," she said. "I think it's a good thing to alert the community and let them know what he looks like."

In 1989, Mr. Tremblay made headlines when he convinced the Quebec Supreme Court to prevent his then-fiancee, Chantal Daigle, from having an abortion. The decision was overturned by the Supreme Court, but not before Ms. Daigle terminated her pregnancy in the United States.

Mr. Tremblay will be living at the halfway house under conditions imposed by the Parole Board, including that he have no direct or indirect contact with his victims or their families, report all relationships with women to his supervisor, and abide by the directions forthcoming from psychiatric counselling.