In a decision that has reignited debate over Canada's justice system, a convicted child murderer and sex offender deemed a high risk to reoffend is now living freely in a Nova Scotia community. Douglas Worth, 73, who brutally killed 12-year-old Trina Campbell in 1987, was released on parole in July and recently had that parole extended.
A History of Violence and a System's Failure
Douglas Worth, infamously known as "the Pictou Sadist," is now residing in Dartmouth, N.S. His release proceeded despite the Parole Board of Canada's own assessment that he presents an "above-average risk" to the public. Halifax Regional Police have publicly identified him as a "high-risk offender," though they cautioned the community against vigilante action.
The case forces a grim re-examination of a decades-old tragedy. In December 1987, Worth abducted Trina Campbell from a Brampton, Ontario supermarket. He then raped, murdered, and left the young girl's body in a ravine. In a further act of depravity, he later returned to dismember her corpse and move it to another location.
A Trail of Warnings Ignored
Shockingly, Trina Campbell's murder was not Worth's first violent crime, nor was it unforeseen. At the time of the killing, Worth was on parole for two previous rape convictions. During his earlier incarceration, he disclosed horrifying fantasies to officials, including dreams of butchering schoolchildren with an axe. He told his prison caseworker he intended to commit so many murders he would make serial killer Clifford Olson "look like a choir boy."
Despite these explicit warnings, he was released. Trina Campbell, as journalist Chris Selley noted, was "let down at every stage of her life, from cradle to ravine." Her killer was eventually caught five months later, after a massive investigation. Police found Trina's decomposing head in a bag on the back seat of Worth's car during a traffic stop.
Parole Board Rationale and Public Safety Concerns
Worth was convicted of second-degree murder and served 35 years in prison, 12 years beyond his minimum parole eligibility of 23 years. The recent parole board decision notes his criminal history includes convictions for rape, assault, and breaches of release conditions. Worth also admitted to the board multiple unreported sexual offences and arson crimes.
According to the board's documents, Worth scored a -12 on the Statistical Information on Recidivism (SIR) scale. This score suggests that one in three offenders with similar characteristics will reoffend with an indictable offence within three years of release. The board's decision to release him into the community, given this calculated risk and his horrific past, has sparked outrage and profound concern for public safety.
The case stands as a stark and controversial example of Canada's parole system in action, posing difficult questions about rehabilitation, punishment, and the paramount duty to protect the innocent.
