Sentence reduced for young offender convicted in 'brutal beating' that left La Ronge, Sask. restaurant owner dead
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal has taken two years off of a manslaughter sentence for a young man convicted in the 2017 killing of a La Ronge restaurant owner.
The offender, who was 17 years old at the time of the offence, has had his sentence reduced from nine to seven years. His name cannot be published under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
He was one of three people involved in the beating death of Simon Grant during an armed robbery at his business, Louisiana’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant. Grant died of his injuries in hospital.
According to the appeal decision, the initial sentencing decision didn’t include a number of factors that should have been considered – this includes the young offender’s guilty plea, his “repeated and heartfelt expressions of remorse” and that he had no previous criminal record.
Grant’s widow, Cora Laich, said she disagrees with the decision.
“My heart dropped. It just really, really hurt for Simon. I was just really emotional that day and I’ve gone through a lot of stuff through this entire thing, but that really hit me hard,” said Laich.
What stands out the most, she said, is that the decision says the offender was apologetic for what he did. While the offender did briefly apologize to her family in court before he was sentenced, Laich said it didn’t seem genuine.
“There’s these mitigating factors that they talk about in the report, but my thing is what about the aggravating factors?” she questioned.
“He left Simon laying there in a pool of blood – does that not hold any weight when it comes to sentencing? That doesn’t matter?”
The decision also states that the sentencing judge didn’t consider the young offender’s “progress to realize his self-pronounced goal of rehabilitation” while in custody so far.
The Gladue factors were also a large part of the decision. This means that judges must consider the individual circumstances of offenders, particularly who are Indigenous.
The document describes the offender’s “difficult” past. This includes using drugs starting at a young age, living in multiple foster homes and eventually being kicked out of homes of family members for drug use and trafficking.
Prior to the killing, Grant tried to help the then teen turn his life around by offering him a place to stay.
The decision described the crime as “very grave” after Grant opened his home to a stranger.
“[The offender] repaid that generosity with a robbery and an extremely brutal beating that led to Mr. Grant’s death. The crime had a deep impact on the community and it devastated Mr. Grant’s family, both emotionally and financially,” reads the decision.
All other aspects in the original sentencing decision remain in place.
The young offender was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
According to the document, he led the assault at the restaurant with the help of two others.
His co-accused, Austin Bird, was sentenced to seven years and another youth was sentenced to three years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.