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
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.