Shocked. And outraged.
Those are the raw emotions of a B.C. woman after finding out that her murdered dad’s convicted killer is being transferred from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security facility.
“We have suffered plenty, and, to this day, continue to suffer,” Tanya Steele told Global News. “And we still do to this day, continue to suffer.”
Last week, Corrections Canada contacted Steele to inform them that Penticton, B.C., mass murderer John Brittain was being relocated.
In April 2020, Brittain, a retiree, killed four people — all neighbours of his former ex-wife. All the victims, two men and two women, were in their 60s and 70s.
The killings shocked the South Okanagan community, home to around 33,000 people.
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One of Brittain’s victims was Rudi Winter, who was shot five times at point-blank range.
According to the sentencing report, Brittain then drove to his ex-wife’s home and then killed three more of her neighbours.
The killings were apparently sparked by common neighbour disputes.
In October 2020, he pled guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder.
He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. But three years into that, he was relocated for apparent good behaviour.
Corrections Canada refused to comment on the transfer, citing prisoner privacy.
However, Corrections Canada’s website says that in medium-security prisons, inmates are more responsible for their day-to-day life, that there’s more interaction between inmates and that it prepares them for minimum security prisons.
“John Brittain is a mass murderer and this is how he is being treated,” said Steele, “and I don’t think that is fair.”
Rudi Winter’s wife, Renate Winter, was also shocked that Brittain was relocated.
“He has a lot more rights now in medium (prison) I’m told,” said Renate Winter.
“My husband doesn’t have the right to be out in the in the sun anymore. He doesn’t have the right to go around a track or go to the gym. He can’t do that anymore.”
The mother and daughter take comfort in knowing that Brittain won’t be released from prison until he’s in his 90s. But by speaking out, they hope changes will be made so other families don’t have to endure a similar ordeal.
Steele proposed that if Corrections Canada reassesses Brittain again in four years’ time, they may move him to minimum security, “and he is gardening and cooking his own meals. Seriously? That’s punishment for murdering four people?”
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