A man serving time for an attempted murder of a local woman must steer clear of Prince George under the updated terms of his parole.
Robyn Glen Derksen, 57, can come no closer than 25 kilometres of city limits, a Parole Board of Canada panel stipulated in agreeing to extend leave privileges.
Derksen was sentenced in August 2018 to a further seven years nine months and 21 days after he pleaded guilty to luring a woman into his home in October 2015 with the intent of murdering her.
According to an agreed statement of facts read into the court record, Derksen told police he had a "demon in him that came out when he was drunk," and had been looking for a victim to murder for as much as two years, oftentimes carrying around a box cutter as he roamed the city.
While in prison, Derksen has been participating in Alcoholics Anonymous and has raised no concerns in terms of his behaviour.
In September 2020, he was granted day parole and by January 2021 had gained full employment while continuing to live in a halfway house. He also continues to attend AA meetings.
Derksen had applied for leave privileges of five days per week and, in a decision issued earlier this month, the panel decided on four days per week, while also making Prince George off limits.
Panel members said the victim suffered serious emotional and psychological harm and ordered Derksen to stay away from the city "to prevent any chance encounters that could re-traumatize the victim."
