Lewd lifeguard released early
‘Eddie Spaghetti,’ who preyed on Summerland boys, now at undisclosed halfway house
After serving just over half of his fiveyear prison sentence, a former Summerland lifeguard who admitted to a string of sex offences has been granted day parole.
Edward Casavant, who preferred the nickname Eddie Spaghetti, worked at the Summerland Aquatic Centre for about 30 years before retiring in 2018 when police began investigating him.
Casavant pleaded guilty to four sex offences – possession of child pornography, making child pornography, voyeurism and sexual exploitation of a person with a disability – and was sentenced in January 2020 to six years behind bars, with credit for one year of time served.
Now 58, his bid for early release was approved Sept. 15 by the Parole Board of Canada, according to a copy of the decision obtained by The Herald.
“Your case management team has recommended that the board grant day parole because you have made progress during your sentence and demonstrated an ability to be managed in minimum security,” states the decision.
“They are of the opinion that a day parole release will provide you with a gradual, structured release, and an opportunity to further strengthen your community support system and engage in interventions, prior to your upcoming statutory release, in May 2023.”
The decision notes Casvant has completed two sex-offender treatment programs while behind bars, and “performance reports assess that your overall ability and commitment to use the skills required to manage your various risk factors has improved from ‘needs a lot of improvement’ to ‘needs some improvement.’ The program report also indicates you developed a greater understanding of the harm you caused and that you developed a comprehensive self-management plan.”
The name of the halfway house to which Casavant was to be released was redacted in The Herald’s copy of the decision, which only notes the facility is “in a different geographic region” than Summerland.
Eight conditions were attached to Casavant’s release order, including no contact with children under the age of 16, staying away from pools, parks and playgrounds, and abstaining from pornography.
The conditions match those in a separate 10-year order handed down by the sentencing judge in 2018.
Casavant’s sentencing hearing heard he was caught in 2018 after dropping off his computer for repairs at Staples, where a technician discovered child pornography on the device and alerted police.
Provincial court Judge Monica McParland said 30 of the 275 child porn videos found in Casavant’s possession had been shot with a spy camera in the Summerland pool’s change rooms while Casavant was a swimming instructor.
“Because the voyeurism went on for some 10 to 15 years, very likely an entire generation of children was potentially exposed to this activity,” said McParland at the time.
Casavant also admitted to separately sexually abusing a Summerland boy with developmental disabilities.