A man who beat a Prince Albert woman and set her on fire has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Leslie Black, who had pleaded guilty to attempted murder after Marlene Bird was found in the summer of 2014 beaten, burned and barely conscious in the city’s downtown, was handed the sentence Friday in a Prince Albert court.
The sentence includes credit for time already served, which works out to four years and 10 months for the roughly three years he’s spent in custody.
The judge ruled Black be sent to a penitentiary outside the Prairies because of the “infamous” nature of the case. Black must also be supervised for 10 years following his prison sentence.
Bird, who was in court for the sentencing, told media she was satisfied with the judge’s ruling. She said she’s still working to forgive Black, but that his apology felt sincere.
Bird suffered third-degree burns in the June 1, 2014, attack and was so badly wounded that both her legs required amputation. Half of her forehead down to her chin was lacerated and she was left with permanent damage to her eyesight.
A judge ruled in August that Black not be designated a dangerous offender.
