Day parole extended for killer of B.C. teen Reena Virk
The 38-year-old woman convicted of murdering teenager Reena Virk near Victoria in 1997 will be allowed to continue her day parole.
The Parole Board of Canada ruled on July 14 that Kelly Ellard, who now goes by the name Kerry Sim, will continue to spend two nights a week at a community residential facility and five nights at her private home.
The board says Sim, who is now the mother of two young children, has recently fallen under personal and financial stress due to her spouse's loss of employment and struggles with substance abuse. Despite that, the board found Sim's "motivation level and reintegration potential are high."
Sim's day parole was expanded last August, extended in January and has now been extended for another six months.
Sim was 15 when she and a group of teens beat Virk and then she and an accomplice followed the injured girl, beat her again and drowned her in the Gorge waterway.
She was tried as an adult and had three second-degree murder trials before 2009 when the matter was addressed by the Supreme Court of Canada and her life sentence for Virk's murder was upheld.
The parole board is maintaining conditions linked to Sim's release, including an order against the use of alcohol or drugs and a requirement that she have no contact with Virk's family.
In its six-page report, the board says it expects Sim's continued parole "will not constitute an undue risk and will continue to facilitate your reintegration into the community as a law-abiding member of society."
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.