Paul Bernardo: Canadian serial killer moved to lower security prison, sparking outrage

Canada's prison service is reviewing its decision to move a notorious serial killer from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security facility.

Paul Bernardo was sent to the lower security facility last week, igniting outrage across the country.

Bernardo committed a series of sex crimes, rapes and murders in Toronto in the late 1980s and 1990s.

In 1995, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for at least 25 years.

Bernardo, 58, was handed the life sentence for kidnapping, torturing and killing two schoolgirls - Leslie Mahaffy, 14, and Kristen French, 15. He was also found guilty of the manslaughter and rape of his sister-in-law, 15-year-old Tammy Homolka.

It is unclear why the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) decided to transfer Bernardo from Millhaven Institution, a maximum-security prison in Ontario, to La Macaza Institution, a medium-security-prison in Quebec.

The federal agency released a statement on Monday acknowledging the crimes as horrific, but failed to outline the reasons for the transfer.

"We are restricted by law in what we can divulge about an offender's case," the statement said.

"We regret any pain and concern this has caused."

The decision was met with intense backlash from many Canadians.

"(Bernardo) should rot in a maximum-security prison for the rest of his miserable existence," said Ontario Premier Doug Ford in a statement.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told the Globe and Mail that he was "profoundly concerned and shocked by this decision", and said he had expressed that to the federal corrections commissioner.

Bernardo was aided in his crimes by his wife Karla Homolka during the 90s. The media dubbed the duo the "Ken & Barbie killers" because of their looks.

Between 1987-1992, Bernardo raped or sexually assaulted at least 18 women, and killed three others, according to Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General.

The CSC has emphasised that Bernardo remains incarcerated in a secure and controlled institution, and is taking the necessary precautions to protect public security.

"We want Canadians to have confidence in our decisions," the agency said.