Day parole granted to former soccer icon convicted of assaulting spouse & daughter

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A 1960s Portuguese soccer legend serving four years after being convicted of assaulting his family members in New Tecumseth has been granted day parole.

Police say Bernardo da Velha nearly killed his former partner and assaulted the couple's daughter at their Alliston home in August 2021.

Da Velha, now 82, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault. He was initially charged with assault with a weapon and attempted murder.

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Police said officers arrived at the home to find two women with serious injuries who had been beaten repeatedly.

Da Velha was arrested and taken into custody.

The victims described suffering significant injuries and trauma. One woman, who had been holding her toddler at the time of the attack, needed 40 staples to close cuts to her head. She had a black eye, neck bruising and a separated wrist.

The other woman suffered multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed, and fractures to her nose, orbital bone, left arm and right hand.

According to the parole board, da Velha's victims were so fearful they sold their family home, no longer feeling safe in it.

The board noted da Velha violated a no-contact order following prior incidents in which the victim described three years of being yelled at and threatened.

Da Velha also admitted to saying, "If I hit you, I am going to kill you," a few days before the attack.

The parole board mentioned da Velha felt shame, but that some of his emotions were related to feeling sorry for himself.

Through an interpreter, da Velha told the board he did not commit these assaults in a normal state of mind, and he deeply regrets what he did.

Da Velha initially requested full parole to live with his daughter and son-in-law but was denied in favour of day parole to live for six months in a community-based facility.