U.K. man convicted of manslaughter of Owen Sound restaurant owner sentenced

Robert Evans Jr., 26, has been sentenced to another seven months in jail after an Owen Sound judge accepted a three and a half-year plea deal.

Robert Evans Jr., 26, has been sentenced to another seven months behind bars after an Owen Sound judge accepted a three and a half-year plea deal from the Crown and defence.

Evans Jr., his father Robert Sr. and uncle Barry Evans pleaded guilty last month.

“His heart goes out to the family and that he feels terribly about the circumstances and the unintended consequences,” said the lawyer for Evans Jr., Adam Weisberg. “This case here is just as absolute tragedy and it shows you how something small can turn into something just awful and my heart goes out for the community in Owen Sound and especially his widow and family, and it’s just awful.”

Evans Jr. was convicted of manslaughter for the single punch on Aug. 17, 2023, that killed 44-year-old Sharif Rahman whose head hit the sidewalk resulting in a skull fracture and brain bleed. Rahman died a week later, leaving behind his wife and young daughter.

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Rahman was hit after trying to stop Evans Jr., and his group from running off without paying a $100-dinner bill at his downtown restaurant.

The court heard Rahman pushed Evans Jr. twice and held on to him, demanding he pay the bill. Evans Jr. responded by punching Rahman, knocking him to the ground.

“This was truly a one-punch case of manslaughter,” the Crown told the court last month when describing how the plea deal came together.

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Evans Sr. and Barry Evans admitted to helping Evans Jr. escape Owen Sound and fly back to the U.K. the next day.

The court heard Barry Evans drove his nephew away from the scene in an SUV, before erasing any trace they’d been staying in town. Evans Sr. admitted to buying his son’s plane ticket before returning home days later.

Evans Sr. and Uncle Barry were sentenced to time served after spending about two years in custody and deported. They had been identified and tracked down by police a year later in the U.K. with help from Interpol.

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The men had been in Canada for a few months, as part of a group from the U.K. paving driveways for cash.

The men apologized to the court and Rahman’s family for their actions.

Evans Jr. told the court he didn’t mean for Rahman to die, saying he was sickened by the damage he caused when he assaulted Rahman and killed him.

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Justice Christopher Chorney called Evans Jr.’s actions when he fled the scene and returned home, aggravating.

The judge called the community’s continue support of Rahman’s family outstanding.

“I think His Honour eloquently set out in his reasons the tough balance in this case and the fact that it is just a tragic set of circumstances that no sentence can right, unfortunately,” said Weisberg.

Evans Jr. is scheduled to be released from jail and deported back to the UK in February to be reunited with his family.