A man was sentenced to six years in prison during Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Tuesday for aggravated assault.
In a joint submission, Myles Reichel pleaded guilty to a violent attack against the victim Alin Wood.
According to the agreed statement of facts read by Crown prosecutor Rob Parker, Reichel and Wood were roommates who got into a verbal altercation on July 24. The verbal altercation turned physical when Reichel attacked Wood, hitting him in the head and face area.
When the police arrived, Reichel’s hands and clothing were covered in blood. Wood was taken to a Regina hospital with serious head injuries including a fractured skull.
On July 25, Wood was in the ICU unconscious but in stable condition. Parker said at that time Wood was clinging to life and many of his conversations were with Wood's wife while he was in the hospital.
“His life is forever altered,” Parker told the court.
Parker added that Wood still has a long road to recovery ahead of him and presented victim impact statements.
“These are powerful impacts. They were prepared shortly after the incident,” Parker said.
Parker also presented the Court of Appeal ruling from R vs Jimmy in which Sterling Jimmy was sentenced to three years less 38 days pre-trial custody for a similar scenario.
Defence lawyer Merv Nidesh noted that Reichel was the one who called the police and stayed at the scene until the police arrived. Nidesh also presented the court with a psychiatric report stating that Reichel struggles with his mental health.
Judge David Chow did not downplay the seriousness of Reichel’s actions in his ruling.
“Mr. Wood will have to deal with the impact of this violent assault for the rest of his life,” Chow said.
Chow agreed to the joint submission of four years in prison and also imposed a 10-year firearm ban.
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