Defence lawyer Darren Winegarden says he hopes his client can get the help he needs while in prison.
In a Saskatoon courtroom Thursday morning, twenty-three-year-old Ryan Dalton Kelly Bear was sentenced to nine years in a federal penitentiary for attempting to stab retired RCMP officer Robert Laidlaw to death in May 2012.
Winegarden says Bear has no previous criminal record but does have anger management and substance abuse issues.
“He’s been really involved in all the programs that he’s able to take,” he says. “He’s taking counseling and so he’s doing really well right now. I’m very hopeful that he’ll continue to do well.”
Crown prosecutor Bryce Pashovitz adds he thinks the decision is fair considering Bear stabbed Laidlaw twice after the ex-RCMP officer had stopped and tried to help him when the vehicle Bear was driving went off the road north of Outlook last year.
“The main one in the Crown’s mind was always that the victim of this offence was simply someone who stopped to help this individual,” he says. “So, the Crown is very pleased the court took that into account as far as an aggravating factor.”
A stolen SUV Bear, a member of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, was driving went off the road near Laidlaw’s acreage in the early morning hours of May 23, 2012.
The ex-RCMP officer offered Bear help but was refused.
A while later that morning, Laidlaw was returning to his home and noticed the SUV was still in the ditch.
He took note of the licence plate number and when Bear returned in another vehicle with his neighbour Murray Silljer, Laidlaw asked for his name.
At this point, Bear became hostile threatening the retired officer, eventually stabbing him twice and fleeing in Silljer’s truck.
Laidlaw drove himself to the Outlook hospital where he was able to get treatment.
In a trial earlier this year, Bear had been found guilty of attempted murder.
In rendering his sentence, Justice Murray Acton noted Bear’s age, the fact he has no previous convictions, the act was not premeditated, he has shown remorse and is seeking treatment.
However, Justice Acton also took account of the senselessness of the crime, the seriousness of the injuries sustained by the victim and the fact they were unknown to each other.
The Crown had been arguing for 10 years in prison and the defence for four years.
In terms of his sentence, Bear will be credited with the 574 days he has already spent in custody.
He must complete half his sentence before being eligible for parole.
Laidlaw did not appear to be in court Thursday.