Annual sentencing hearing underway for Ont. teen convicted in 2019 Barrie group home murder

A now 21-year-old Ont. man who was convicted of murder inside a Barre group home, appeared in court for his annual sentencing review.

Warning: This article contains graphic and disturbing details that may be triggering to readers.

A now 21-year-old Ont. man who was convicted of murder inside a Barrie group home and received a maximum 10-year sentence, appeared in court for his annual sentencing review.

The hearing was the third annual review for the man who in February 2019, viciously stabbed and killed another teen inside the home, while others looked on in horror.

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The young man, who pleaded guilty in 2022 and received the maximum sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, including six years in custody, had been a ward of the children’s aid society for three years after his parents could no longer care for him. The court heard he battled mental health issues, and drug and alcohol abuse.

The court heard the man, whose identity remains protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, blamed the other teen, believing he ratted on him to their foster parent for removing knives from a locked room.

Two days later, angry with the teen, the young man attacked the boy while he was asleep in his bed on the morning of Feb., 19, 2019. He then chased the boy with a kitchen knife and continued stabbing him.

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As part of his annual review, the Crown read a report to the court highlighting that the young man had not been receiving mental health supports while in jail at Central North Correctional Centre.

The report revealed the young man has had two misconducts including an assault of another inmate while having a mental health issue and on another occasion showed disrespectful or threatening behaviour to a correctional officer when he did not want to be transferred to a different unit.

Citing significant concerns, the Crown asked Justice Michelle Fuerst to confirm the maximum sentence.

His lawyer Stephen De Wetter argued his client’s rehabilitation has been thwarted with a lack of mental health counselling at the jail.

His lawyer is seeking a change in his client’s circumstances with a conditional supervision order, referring to the young man’s current situation as a “round-about” leaving him unable to make meaningful progress without proper mental health supports at the Penetanguishene, Ont. jail.

The hearing continues later this month for further submissions from the Crown and defence.