A convicted child molester has been released from custody and will be taking up residence in Sarnia, The Observer has learned.

Daniel Donald Swarath, 42, has been convicted six times of sexual offences involving young girls. He was released from a London jail Dec. 12 and has moved back to Sarnia to live with his parents on Finch Drive.

Swarath's most recent conviction was on Oct. 14 for a May incident in London in which he sought out a seven-year-old girl and invited her to touch his exposed genitals.

On Oct. 5 in Sarnia court, Swarath was sentenced to nine months in jail - served in pre-sentence custody - after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two young girls he met through his Sarnia church, between 1996 and 2000.

The Sarnia charges occurred when one girl was five and the other 10-years-old.

He fondled the five-year-old while she sat on his lap in a rocking chair at the church. He also placed her hand on his privates.

He touched the 10-year-old through her clothing three times after Swarath took the girl to his parents' home following Sunday school.

In passing sentencing, Justice John Desotti said on Oct. 5 that Swarath was on the cusp of a possible Crown application to have him declared a dangerous offender. When a person poses a significantly high risk to commit future violent or sexual offences, he or she can be designated a dangerous offender and held in prison indefinitely.

The Sarnia Police Service did not issue a community notification, as it has been done in the past when a convicted pedophile takes up residence in the city, as Swarath remains under a probation order.

Community notification is done only when an individual is not under any form of supervision, said Const. Heather Emmons.

"However, Mr. Swarath is under supervision by probation with strict conditions," she said. "The Chief (of Police) has not been notified, so he can not put a message out."

Conditions in Swarath's probation order include avoiding any public park, school, swimming pool or any area where children under 16 can reasonably be expected to attend.

Swarath will be living with his parents. His father continues to be the head pastor of the church.

In addition to being on a probation order, Swarath is on the national sexual offender registry.