A 54-year-old convicted child rapist gets freed early from jail because his cellmate died of the novel coronavirus.

54-year-old Glenn Christie was serving his time at the Massachusetts Treatment Centre in Bridgewater, USA, for repeatedly raping a 12-year-old boy.

The convicted rapist had already completed a prison sentence for committing the crime, however, he was in custody for violating the terms of his 10-year probation period.

Christie suffers from kidney disease and is currently being tested for cancer.

According to reports the man had been convicted of child rape and indecent assault on a child under 14, however, he was released on compassionate grounds on Friday by Superior Court Judge Heidi Brieger.

The decision comes after the Bridgewater Prison, where Christie was at, was hit by a significant outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

23 inmates and 7 staff members of the Bridgewater had tested positive of the coronavirus.

2 inmates, in which one of them was the former roommate of Christie, have died from the deadly virus.

Christie, who uses a wheelchair to travel, was seen by the court as vulnerable to the deadly disease due to his underlying health conditions.

This is why he was released early.

A condition of his release is that he tests negative for the deadly virus.

Chief Justice Ralph Gants explained why he allowed the inmate to go out.

Chief Justice Gants said:

“Incarcerated individuals often bunk in the same cell or unit and cannot realistically maintain adequate social distancing.The health risks to a person in custody caused by the pandemic constitute changed circumstances. We also conclude that, in conducting that review, a judge must give careful consideration not only to the risks posed by releasing the defendant – flight, danger to others or to the community, and likelihood of further criminal acts – but also, during this pandemic, to the risk that the defendant might die or become seriously ill if kept in custody.”

David Rangavis, the lawyer of the inmate, confirmed on Friday that his client was being released from prison.

In a tweet that he made, David said:

“Mr. Christie was ordered released this morning by the Superior Court! There are so many move lives to save, but it is an unbelievable relief to get him released while it appears he may have dodged this ongoing outbreak in his facility.”

Do you think authorities did the right thing releasing the convicted rapist?