A North Battleford man who admits to being a Westside Outlaws gang member was sentenced in Prince Albert Provincial Court Thursday to four years in prison.
Trent Fox, 20, was charged with attempted murder in October 2020 but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated assault.
“Mr. Fox, you are a very young man, 20,” said Judge S. Loewen.
“You will be one of the youngest people at the penitentiary so you are going to have to guard yourself accordingly. You won’t be accepted by everybody and there are going to be problems. You are going to experience problems. The penitentiary is an extremely violent place.”
Fox appeared by CCTV from Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre.
The Crown and defence entered a joint submission. Crown Prosecutor Doug Howell told the court that around 10 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2020, a 21-year-old man was stabbed at Boston Pizza. The victim had two stab wounds on his head and was taken to a hospital in Prince Albert and then put into a medically induced coma before being flown to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon in critical condition.
Staff at Boston Pizza said they heard Fox hollering, “snitch” to the person he stabbed.
When police took a statement from Fox on Oct.15, 2020, he told police that he remembers being in North Battleford and drinking before walking towards Prince Albert. He said a van picked him up and he blacked out and that was the last thing he remembered until he was arrested. He said he didn’t know the victim.
Howell told the court that North Battleford is a problematic environment for Fox where he was involved with gangs. He said there are Gladue factors to consider when sentencing Fox.
The victim of the crime was given an opportunity to speak to the court. Half of his left skull is visibly misshapen and sunken. The numerous surgeries have left a wide scar from his ear, towards the back of his head and then across the top of his head to his forehead.
“I proved all the doctors wrong,” the victim told the court. “They thought I wouldn’t walk or see again but I’m present here today. I may have these physical injuries but it is not enough to bring me down.”
Before sentencing Fox, Judge Loewen told him to remove his facemask and asked him if he had anything to say. Fox removed his mask, shook and his head and said “nope.”
Legal aid lawyer Lorretta Markowski told the court that even though her client doesn’t express emotions like the court would like to see, she said he is remorseful and taking responsibility for his actions.
Five members of the victim’s family were in the courtroom for the sentencing hearing.
Fox was given 396 days credit for pretrial custody.
