A man read out an apology Tuesday prior to being sentenced for his role in a drug-related kidnapping and beating.
Reading from a prepared statement he hopes to provide to the victim at some point, Walter Charles Wilson, 29, said his actions have made him feel sick to his stomach and hate himself.
"I know you may never forget what happened to you but I hope that by me taking responsibility here today, it might allow you to heal," Wilson said.
Wilson appeared to have taken a relatively minor role in the incident that began when the victim bought drugs and was advanced credit and cash on what turned out be a bounced cheque that left Angel Lee Candice Willard out about $1,800.
Enraged, Willard came up with a plan to hold the victim for ransom and try to extort the money out of his parents.
On Dec. 12, 2017, his mother received a call from a stranger on her son's cellphone in which she was told he would be killed if she did not pay up. Police were contacted and all of the members of the RCMP's serious crimes units were deployed.
Among other measures, they arranged through the mother to exchange the money for the victim the next day. Along with the badly-beaten victim, Willard and co-accused Blair Tyler Alec showed up at a local convenience store where the exchange was to take place and were arrested soon after.
The victim, meanwhile, was taken to hospital covered in bruises and abrasions and suffering from a collapsed lung and a stab wound to his leg. According to the victim's statements to police and testimony at a preliminary inquiry, he had been taken to three homes in the city's Bowl area where he was confined and beaten with fists and feet as well as being hit with a hammer. Blood discovered that the locations supported his story.
Wilson, who the court was told had been couch surfing at one of the homes, admitted to knowing about the plan and to participating in the beatings.
On Tuesday, he was sentenced to time served and 18 months probation after receiving credit of three years for time in custody prior to sentencing. The term came in the form of a joint submission from Crown and defence counsels after Wilson pleaded guilty to one count each of kidnapping and assault causing bodily harm.
Whether Crown would have been able to prove its case at trial had been put in doubt by the victim's reluctance to testify. He was able to give only one day of testimony at a preliminary inquiry on the matter before breaking down and rendered unable to speak.
Wilson, who has a lengthy record for violent offences, plans to return to his home in the Hazeltons and continue to work on addressing his addictions issues, regarded as the reason for his behaviour.
In October, Alec was sentenced to time served and three years probation and in June 2019, Julien Nassem Lazarre was sentenced to time served plus 65 days and 18 months probation, for their involvement in the attacks. Willard is scheduled for sentencing in early March.
Others were involved in the incident, the court was told, but the victim was unable to identify them.
