Pictou County man, 87, sentenced to 10 years for historical sexual abuse of his children

A Pictou County man who pleaded guilty to historical sexual abuse of his three children was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison.

Earlier this year, Douglas Guthro Sr., 87, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual violence dating back decades.

Before handing down his decision in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Pictou, Justice Frank Hoskins described Guthro's crimes as disturbing, noting he abused his son and two daughters repeatedly over a period that lasted 19 years.

He labelled Guthro an incestuous predator whose crimes caused immeasurable harm.

"It's a substantial and a significant sentence, it certainly recognizes the huge victim impact," Crown attorney Bill Gorman said outside court.

Guthro's son Doug Robertson and daughters Susan Farrell and Sheri Colbert — now in their 50s — had kept the abuse secret but came forward to police in November 2023 and later applied to have the publication ban on their names as sexual assault victims lifted so they could share their stories.

The facts before the court showed all three recall being around six years old when the abuse began.

A flagrant breach of trust

Their father preyed on them for his own sexual gratification, Hoskins said, pointing out the children were young and vulnerable.

The judge said this was a flagrant breach of trust in which Guthro abused his role as a parent in committing egregious offences.

Gorman said Guthro was manipulative and psychologically intimidated his children to keep his secret.

An emotional Robertson, who changed his last name to avoid further connection with his father, said the sentencing was a "sad victory."

He said he and his sisters will never get back what was taken from them but they showed strength all the way to the end of a difficult process.

"What would sit better with me is if he spent some time in a prison or in custody because he doesn't know what that is, he doesn't know what our custody was and everything that he put us through over the years and hopefully he'll get a sense that he's going to be ruled, he's going to be told what to do," Robertson said outside court on Wednesday.

As part of her victim impact statement, Farrell had said it was a "miracle and a tribute to our will and characters that the three of us are still here."

She released a statement to CBC News on behalf of herself and her sister.

"Today, we feel relieved that this long process is finally over, allowing us to move forward. We are also relieved that Justice Hoskins has sent a strong message that the sexual abuse of children is a most heinous crime, as evident in the court's decision," the statement said.

"This sentence represents justice: recognition and validation of the horrors of our childhood, and a sign of hope for other survivors that accountability for their abusers is also possible."

Hoskins noted all three siblings are in therapy as a result of the harm they endured and expect to be for the rest of their lives.

Mitigating factors in Guthro's sentencing were his age, life expectancy, medical condition and his guilty pleas, which spared his victims a long trial process.

His defence lawyer, Pavel Boubnov, had sought a sentence to be served in the community followed by a period of probation, arguing Guthro needs significant daily assistance from care workers.

However, the judge referred to communication provided by Corrections Canada that his medical issues can be effectively managed.

Such a sentence would have been extraordinary under the circumstances, the judge said, asserting sexual offences against children require denunciation and deterrence.

He said a lenient sentence based on the passage of time would have a chilling effect on victims of historical sexual assault.

The 10-year prison term factored in Guthro's age and life expectancy, Hoskins said, pointing out a 20-year term would have been unduly long and harsh.

Boubnov said his client knew time in prison was a possibility given the severity of his offences but was still somewhat shocked by the sentence.

"Of course he was not expecting something like 10 years but he was expecting a prison term," Boubnov said.

The judge provided a very detailed analysis, the defence lawyer said, adding he has no instructions so far on whether to file an appeal within the required 30-day time frame.

Boubnov said evidence from a doctor that he previously presented estimated Guthro's life expectancy could be between 1½ and 2½ years.

The fact the length of the sentence exceeds that range may be the primary grounds for appeal if Guthro decides to go that route, his lawyer said.

Guthro's name will also be placed on the national sex offender registry, his DNA will be added to a national data bank and he is banned from possessing firearms for 10 years.

He is also to have no contact with the victims or their family members.