By The Canadian Press on November 20, 2024.

A lawyer representing the families of two women tortured and killed by notorious serial killer and rapist Paul Bernardo says the victims’ mothers have the right to give their victim impact statements in person at Bernardo’s next hearing. Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., Friday, Oct. 5, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning

A lawyer representing the families of two teenage girls killed by notorious serial killer and rapist Paul Bernardo says they have been denied their right to present their victim impact statements in person at Bernardo’s next hearing.

In a letter to the president of the Parole Board of Canada and others, lawyer Tim Danson says he was recently informed that the victims’ families would not be able to attend the Nov. 26 hearing at Quebec’s La Macaza Institution because the board was “unable “. to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the hearing.”

Danson says the families are asking that the hearing be postponed until next month or another date so they and their lawyers can travel to La Macaza and read the victim impact statements in person.

Bernardo was transferred from Ontario’s maximum-security Millhaven Institution to medium-security La Macaza last year, a decision that sparked public outcry.

Bernardo, who is designated a dangerous offender, is serving an indeterminate life sentence for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of Kristen French, 15, and Leslie Mahaffy, 14, in the early 1990s near St. Catharines, Ont. .

He was also convicted of the December 1990 manslaughter of his wife Karla Homolka’s 15-year-old sister, Tammy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 20, 2024.

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