After spending 25 years behind bars for the kidnapping, torture and murders of teenagers Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy, Paul Bernardo only had to wait about half-an-hour before a National Parole Board panel denied his request for release.

The now 54-year-old prisoner admitted he’s not perfect, realizes he hurt a lot of people and says he did dreadful things that he cries over all the time.

Bernardo also told the hearing he would never reoffend.

”I’m so nice to everybody … everybody is scared but there is no reason to be scared,” he said.

Bernardo’s parole officer told the hearing though she feels that he is a high risk to reoffend. 

The panel also listened to impassioned pleas from the girls’ mothers who don’t believe he should be freed, although he can seek release again in two years.