No prison absences for man who kidnapped, killed five-year-old Alberta girl

A man convicted of kidnapping and murdering a five-year-old girl in southern Alberta recounted his plea for freedom at a parole hearing on Thursday, expressing fear of being exposed as a pedophile. Anthony Gallup told the Parole Board of Canada that he smothered Jessica Koopmans in a state of panic and shame, fearing his actions would become public.

Despite his remorse, the board denied his request for an unescorted temporary absence to attend a trauma workshop in Kamloops, B.C. The board deemed Gallup not ready for any additional freedoms, citing the need for 25 years of unbroken imprisonment for his first-degree murder conviction. Jessica's mother attended the hearing via video link, emphasizing the enduring impact of the crime on her daughter's memory.