Doug Snelgrove, former N.L. cop who raped civilian, released 11 months early on parole
CBC
A former St. John's police officer who raped a woman while on duty nearly a decade ago has been released on parole after serving a quarter of his sentence behind bars.
Doug Snelgrove was convicted of sexual assault in 2021 after a jury found he did not have consent when he committed sexual acts against a 21-year-old woman he drove home from a downtown nightclub in 2014.
He was granted parole Aug. 7, according to a Parole Board of Canada decision, and ordered to remain at his home in St. John's. The sole parole condition listed on the decision prohibits Snelgrove from contacting his victim.
Snelgrove was originally up for parole in the summer of 2025. As of this August, he had about 11 months remaining on his custodial sentence.
The parole decision says he was assessed to have a low risk of reoffending.
The former Royal Newfoundland Constabulary constable was sentenced to four years in prison in November 2021. He has spent the vast majority of that time — over two years of it — living at home with his wife while on bail.
After his conviction, Snelgrove petitioned to have his appeal heard by the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
He began serving his time in earnest in February, after the country's top court declined to hear his case.
In all, the former officer has spent just under a year of his three-year, 10-month sentence behind bars, with his jail time spread out over several short stints beginning in May 2021.
The parole decision describes Snelgrove as a model inmate, noting the former cop behaved while in prison and filled his days constructively, "finding work in the institution and taking part in other activities."
"Your levels of accountability, motivation and reintegration potential are rated as high. You are considered to be engaged in your correctional plan," board members wrote.
"You are typically a good problem solver, and you are not impulsive. The night of the offence was an exception to this, and your actions were impulsive and very spur of the moment."
Snelgrove would have been sent to a halfway house in St. John's to complete his parole, but the parole board noted "security issues" due to his former profession.
"Your home was also assessed as suitable for a day parole ... where you would reside with your wife, who remains supportive of you. Local police were contacted, and they agree with [Correctional Service Canada]'s recommendation. They expressed concerns with your safety should you be placed in a [halfway house]."
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