Sentencing adjourned for man who stabbed victim in 2019 gang-style attack

By Delon Shurtz on August 14, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Sentencing of an 18-year-old man who was only a youth when he stabbed another boy in the back during a gang-style attack in December 2019, had to be adjourned earlier this week to allow time for the Crown to review details of the offence.
The Crown related the facts of the case during Wednesday’s hearing, and said the accused, who was with a group of people, stabbed the victim while he was walking down an alley with an 18-year-old woman. Others in the group then began kicking and punching him.
Defence added, however, that another boy actually planned the assault and handed the accused the knife moments before the attack. That boy, now 18 years old, previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, and was sentenced to six months of custody and three months of community supervision for being a party to the assault.
Lethbridge lawyer Darcy Shurtz told court the group attacked and pushed the victim to the ground, then the accused was handed the knife. He too, Shurtz suggested, was a party to the offence, but admitted to stabbing the victim.
After hearing the defence submission, the Crown requested an adjournment to review the case.
Trinity Savard, 19, is also accused of taking part in the attack. She pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated assault and stood trial in April. Her case was to be back in court for a date to be set for the judge to give his verdict.
A 20-year-old man, who was also considered to be a party to the offence, was charged with aggravated assault and theft over $5,000. He pleaded guilty to the charges last year and was sentenced to 16 months in jail, minus 13 1/2 months for time he spent in pre-trial custody.
The accused from Wednesday’s hearing returns to court Aug. 25 to schedule a new date for his sentencing hearing.

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