Pictou County man pleads guilty to historical sexual abuse against his 3 children
A shocking case of sexual abuse has recently come to light in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, where an 86-year-old man, Douglas Guthro Sr., has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing his three children over the course of several decades. Originally facing 16 counts of sexual violence, Guthro Sr. admitted to eight counts in Nova Scotia Supreme Court at a hearing in Pictou.
The disturbing details of the abuse were revealed as the Crown read out the agreed statement of facts in court. The victims, now in their fifties, bravely chose to waive the publication ban on their names to speak out about the abuse they suffered as children. Doug Robertson, Susan Farrell, and Sheri Colbert all came forward with their complaints to the RCMP in 2023. The abuse began when they were around the age of six or younger, with their father preying on them in their bedrooms, often after reading them children’s stories.
The court heard how Guthro Sr. manipulated his children into silence, with his oldest daughter being told she would break up the family if she spoke out, and his son being afraid of what others would say. The siblings did not disclose the abuse to each other until much later in life, highlighting the lasting impact of such trauma on survivors.
Despite the emotional toll of reliving the details in court, Doug Robertson was present as the only victim in the courtroom, while his sisters, now living in Ontario, plan to be there for their father’s sentencing. Senior Crown counsel Bill Gorman described the case as one of the most disturbing he has been involved in, noting the prolonged and systematic nature of the abuse.
Guthro Sr. has been banned from areas where children are present and is prohibited from contacting his victims. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 11 to determine the consequences for his heinous actions. The courage displayed by the siblings in coming forward and seeking justice serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking out against abuse and seeking support.
