A convicted sex offender is being released from prison again, even though the Parole Board of Canada says he's at a high risk to reoffend.

Michael Ray O'Brien, 51, is in the midst of a 10-year supervision order after a four-and-a-half-year sentence for sexual assault and other charges.

O'Brien assaulted a young boy over a long period.

O'Brien's criminal history dates back to 1982 and contains 15 previous convictions. They include assault causing bodily harm, break and enter and theft.

In 1984, O'Brien was convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy. Two years later he was convicted of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl.

In 1987, he was convicted of sexually assaulting two young boys he'd been babysitting.

O'Brien has also admitted to committing more than 20 other sexual assaults for which he was never charged.

In psychological assessments performed in 2009 and 2012, O'Brien was assessed as being at a high risk to reoffend against a child.

Release comes with conditions

O'Brien's long-term supervision was suspended in June, after he was caught stealing food from a cafeteria.

The Parole Board of Canada noted that finances were an area of concern for O'Brien. So, in agreeing to release him again, the board has added a new condition which requires him to report all financial matters. He also received a reprimand.

"It is evident to the board that you continue to struggle in many areas and your supervision and monitoring needs continue to present as very challenging to your case management team," the parole board wrote in its release decision.

While on release, O'Brien must stay away from his victims and all children under the age of 18. He must abstain from alcohol, continue psychiatric treatment and continue taking medication to help control his impulses.

O'Brien is not allowed to own or access pornography of any kind. He's also not allowed to have any type of recording in which child actors are the main characters. That last restriction even includes animation where children are the main characters.

O'Brien's long-term supervision order is now scheduled to expire at the end of 2018.