Notorious killer and rapist Paul Bernardo has been denied parole for a third time after the families of his victims made an emotional plea to the Parole Board of Canada on Tuesday to keep him behind bars.

The parole board noted that while Bernardo has made some strides during incarceration, there is still significant concern about his risk of sexual recidivism, his narcissistic personality and his B次元官网网址渙verestimationB次元官网网址� of his progress, among other issues.

The board, which deliberated for approximately 30 minutes after TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 hearing, said its decision also considered the B次元官网网址渆xtremely violentB次元官网网址� nature of BernardoB次元官网网址檚 crimes.

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

The 60-year-old told the board he was primarily seeking day parole at a halfway house, or at a minimum, escorted absences from prison so that he can attend a community program for sex offenders. The board denied both.

The victimsB次元官网网址� families made an impassioned case against BernardoB次元官网网址檚 bid for release, and said they have been re-traumatized every time his parole hearings come up.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest destruction of the peace and joy and hope in my life has been and remains Bernardo,B次元官网网址� LeslieB次元官网网址檚 mother, Debbie Mahaffy, told the parole board hearing at the La Macaza Institution in Quebec, where Bernardo is currently held.

B次元官网网址淚 remain hopeful that you understand the sadistic, manipulative and psychopathic nature of BernardoB次元官网网址檚 behaviour and the endless threat he represents to public safety,B次元官网网址� she said.

Mahaffy, who spoke of her struggle to forget B次元官网网址渢he horrors of LeslieB次元官网网址檚 death,B次元官网网址� was overcome by emotion as she delivered her victim impact statement.

Tim Danson, the lawyer representing the French and Mahaffy families, finished reading the statement on her behalf, urging the board to deny Bernardo any type of release due to the heinousness of his crimes and his lack of remorse.

Bernardo was also convicted of manslaughter in the December 1990 death of his then-wife Karla HomolkaB次元官网网址檚 15-year-old sister, Tammy. He ultimately admitted to raping other girls and women, beginning in the late 1980s.

KristenB次元官网网址檚 mother, Donna French, who delivered her victim impact statement remotely, spoke of the B次元官网网址渟enseless and brutalB次元官网网址� loss her family has endured for decades.

B次元官网网址淚t has been more than 32 years since my daughter, Kristen, was abducted, sexually assaulted, beaten to within an inch of her young life, tormented, humiliated and murdered, then dumped by the side of a road like a piece of trash,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭hey say that time heals but I donB次元官网网址檛 for a minute believe that, for I have not healed.B次元官网网址�

Danson had previously said that because the parole board initially denied his clients the right to attend BernardoB次元官网网址檚 hearing in person, a last-minute reversal of that decision meant that Donna French was unable to travel to Quebec on Tuesday.

The parole board also heard, via video conference, from other members of the French family and LeslieB次元官网网址檚 brother Ryan Mahaffy.

Mahaffy, who was seven years old at the time of his sisterB次元官网网址檚 murder, said Bernardo didnB次元官网网址檛 just steal his B次元官网网址渕entor and best friendB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� he also stole his parents.

B次元官网网址淎s a child, I lost one of the largest parts of my world and to my mother and fatherB次元官网网址檚 own grief, I lost them,B次元官网网址� said Mahaffy, whose gut-wrenching victim impact statement prompted a brief pause in the hearing.

He told the board that the B次元官网网址減erpetual hell Bernardo bestowed upon my familyB次元官网网址� gave him nightmares as a child and left him struggling with interpersonal relationships as an adult.

He said that when he became a father, he and his partner B次元官网网址渁gonizedB次元官网网址� over what to name their kids.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to honour Leslie by name but couldnB次元官网网址檛, for fear of what they will find when they or others Googled their names,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ernardoB次元官网网址檚 actions haunt the simplest details of my life, including FatherB次元官网网址檚 Day, the day he murdered her.B次元官网网址�

Bernardo was transferred to the medium-security La Macaza Institution from a maximum-security Ontario prison last year, in a decision that caused public outcry.

BernardoB次元官网网址檚 parole officer told the hearing that he has B次元官网网址渁djusted wellB次元官网网址� since his arrival at La Macaza but he is B次元官网网址渙verestimating his progress while underestimating the risk he presents.B次元官网网址�

The board heard that the Correctional Service of Canada did not support releasing Bernardo on parole and believed he hadnB次元官网网址檛 met all the criteria for escorted or unescorted temporary absences from prison.

Under questioning by the two board members, Bernardo said he believed he was ready to gradually step back into society, get B次元官网网址渕ore helpB次元官网网址� and ultimately find employment and a place to live. He said he would stay in Quebec if granted parole and was planning to soon start taking French lessons in prison.

Bernardo suggested that he has gained clarity and introspection since arriving at La Macaza.

He showed no visible emotion as he discussed his crimes and victims at the hearing, but choked up at times as he discussed his mother and the sexual abuse he said she endured in her own life.

He told the parole board that he began committing sexual offences as a way to exact B次元官网网址渞evengeB次元官网网址� for his motherB次元官网网址檚 suffering, and for the pain he felt after his father rejected him for not being his biological son.

When the parole board questioned how victimizing girls and women could be seen as revenge in his case, Bernardo said he wanted to B次元官网网址減ay the world back.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 became a sexual sadist, thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt about that,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that while he has B次元官网网址渘o excuseB次元官网网址� for his crimes, he had adopted a B次元官网网址渧ictim stanceB次元官网网址� as a result of his difficult childhood and teenage years.

The parole board pointed out that many people face adversity in their early years but they donB次元官网网址檛 become sexual offenders and killers.