Crown and defence make recommendations while the court hears victim impact statementsPublished Apr 15, 2025 • 6 minute readDouglas Guthro Sr. makes his way back to a waiting vehicle after attending a court session at the Courthouse in Pictou April 11. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsPICTOU – In what was supposed to be the sentencing court appearance for Douglas Guthro Sr. on April 11, presiding judge Justice Frank Hoskins stated the obvious when he noted that at the start of the session, the Crown and the defence are far apart in their recommendations.Guthro, 86, pled guilty to eight charges regarding the sexual abuse of his three children: Susan Farrell, Doug Robertson (who legally changed his last name to his wife’s name to distance himself from the Guthro surname), and Sheri Colbert.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe abuse started in 1971 with Farrell when she was only three years old. She is the eldest of the three siblings. It continued until 1990 with Colbert, the youngest of the three, as the victim.None of the siblings were aware the others were being preyed upon as well by their father until well into their adulthood.Guthro pled guilty to eight of the original 17 charges he faced on Feb. 19 in Pictou Supreme Court, a session which included the reading into the record of the agreed statement of facts.It was anticipated that Hoskins might be in a place to decide on a sentence on April 11, but with there was too much distance between the nine-to-12 years’ imprisonment sentence being recommended by senior Crown counsel Bill Gorman, and the two years less a day of community confinement being recommended by defence counsel Pavel Boubnov. There was also additional information being sought by the defence as to whether provincial or federal corrections can deal with Guthro’s health concerns and everyday needs. Hoskins put the matter over until June 16.Article contentGorman spoke about why he felt the sentence recommendation he proposed was appropriate.“The length of time the abuse occurred, 19-plus years. And it was three victims, each one in succession; an egregious breach of trust,” Gorman said. “The acts themselves were horrific.“All you need to do is listen to the victim impact statements that have been read into the record today by the three victims. There was some discussion in the courtroom today about whether it would be a life sentence, given the age of the offender. Well, each of those victims is living a life sentence given the nature of the horrific and repeated offences which started when they were children.” Eighty-six-year-old Douglas Guthro Sr. is awaiting his sentencing after pleading guilty to eight of the 17 charges for sexual abusing his three children between the years 1971 and 1990. The sentence was expected to be announced April 14 but with a request by the defence, as well as the stark contrast in sentence recommendations between the Crown and defence, it has been put over until June 16. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsIn his submission to the court in making the recommendation, Gorman said he did factor in Guthro’s age.“HORRIFIC SET OF FACTS”“His age is a factor, but it’s incorporated into the sentencing recommendation I made,” he told the courtroom. “I tempered my sentence recommendation on the basis of him being 86, soon to be 87.Article content“I’ve been involved in the criminal justice system for over three decades and this is one of the most horrific set of facts I’ve ever encountered. Determining a fit and proper sentencing in keeping with the principles and purposes of sentencing, with a focus on denunciations and deterrence, cries out for a lengthy period of custody.“Children are our most prized resource. Children are the future of our country and world. And children are not for your sexual gratification.”Boubnov said he does not disagree with the Crown on the aggravating circumstances of the crimes but noted his recommendation takes into consideration “special circumstances” around Guthro.He noted among them is that, while Guthro does live alone in an apartment, he is only able to do so with the help of social care workers who he needs to assist him with everyday tasks such as making his way into the shower and getting dressed.“He is counting on, for independence in his everyday life, the help of social care workers,” Boubnov said. “He is relying on them for his everyday life … he is very fragile.Article content“The mitigating factors for Mr. Guthro I can summarize are the absence of a criminal record, remorse, and age and health.”The word remorse led to more than one person shaking their head in the courtroom – there was enough to create an audible objection to the word.Gorman dealt with the remorse factor and whether credit should be given for a guilty plea in his submission.“I would suggest the remorse and plea entered as being more a case of, ‘I’ve run out of road and I don’t have anywhere else to go.’ It’s an acceptance of responsibility, but it only goes so far, and I would suggest you look at the presentencing report,” he said.“‘With his defiance, I don’t see anything changing. During all of this, he has been dramatic and spiteful – he is doing things to us out of spite. He spray-painted family heirlooms of things we wanted which were mom’s, so we couldn’t have them. He destroyed everything. He has no remorse at all – he blames us when it started with him.”LIFE SENTENCE FOR VICTIMSArticle contentThose were the types of statements given by Farrell, Robertson, and Colbert, as well as Robertson’s wife Trish and daughter Caitlyn, during the victim impact statements.“I, myself, am still discovering and dealing with the effects of the childhood I endured,” Farrell said, as part of her statements. “I suffered mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The hurt goes beyond the sexual acts and emotional manipulation that I survived.”She talked about being a rule follower and expecting the same of others.“The problem in our house growing up is, we didn’t know what the rules were – they were neither clear nor evident. They changed on a whim or mood and the consequences were severe,” Farrell said. “The one rule we did learn was to do exactly as you were told, no questions asked.“The stress of living in constant uncertainty and abuse, especially at a time when one’s brain is still developing, has been likened to growing up in a war zone. There are deep and lasting effects which take a lifetime to unravel.Article contentCobert said: “For most of my life, it feels like a black cloud has hung over me. Whether I was a teenager or an adult, it has always been there.”“What was done to me has touched every part of my life. Mental health, relationships, who and how I learn to trust, how I raise my kid,” she said, adding no sentence will ever undo the harm inflicted, but she wants the court to clearly understand that harm does not go away.“It lingers, it changes a person,” she said. “It’s something I will continue to fight and heal from every day. This is not a celebration for me, there is no joy in the process. While accountability is necessary and I hope it brings some measure of justice, it can not undo the years of suffering I have endured.“It doesn’t erase the trauma, or restore what was taken from me, but it does affirm what happened was wrong, that I matter, and I will no longer carry this alone. I don’t see myself as a symbol of strength and this is not a victory, but if my words can help even one person, help them find the courage to speak out or feel less alone, then perhaps some good will come from this. No one should ever experience this in isolation.”Doug Robertson said school was a safe place for a few hours of the day.“The only thing though was, instead of learning, I had to plan how to avoid what would happen when I got home,” he said, adding the abuse made him question so much about himself, including, although he knew he was straight, his sexuality.“I was alone with my feelings and thoughts all my life. No one should ever have to go through this.“When I think about my childhood, I get very sad,” he added. “There was no love, no hugs, no encouragement. It was just destroyed for pleasure … my innocence and childhood taken from me.” The Courthouse in Pictou has been the site as the case against Douglas Guthro Sr. has unfolded. In the most recent session, the court heard victim impacts statements from the two daughters and a son Guthro abused over a 19 plus year period. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsArticle content
Sentencing of Pictou County man guilty of sexual abuse adjourned until June
