Provincial court in La Ronge is the location of the sentencing hearing. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

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Court heard Monday how a young man guilty of manslaughter in the death of Simon Grant was recommended for an Intensive Rehabilitation Custody Supervision (IRCS) program if Judge Robert Lane determines a youth sentence is appropriate.

The first person to testify was psychologist Dr. Donna Torrens, who conducted a series of assessments with the now 19-year-old man who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. She said if the offender is sentenced as a youth, he’ll likely have access to the program which offers additional federal funding for services above a normal sentence. Those who receive an IRCS need to be motivated for treatment and it supports more educational programs or the availability of mentors. Torrens noted this particular offender seems motivated.

“I think he is a good candidate for an IRCS youth sentence,” Torrens told the court.

Torrens also talked about how the offender has anti-social personality disorder, which she noted is classified as conduct disorder in youth and how most young offenders are positive for it. Overall, she also said the offender has average intelligence and has a street-wise maturity. He also expressed empathy towards the victim’s family for the crime, Torrens added, and wishes he can take back what he did.

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“He has repeatedly said it’s the most terrible mistake he made,” she said.

Court also heard from IRCS Provincial Coordinator Jennifer Petersen, who was largely asked the same questions as Torrens. She said if the offender received a youth sentence, there’s a chance he could also remain in a youth facility. When a prisoner serving a youth sentence turns 20 years’ old, they are normally moved into a facility for adults. In her experience as the coordinator of the program, she said every person in the IRCS who applies to stay in a youth facility is given permission to stay.

With two years on remand and only a three-year sentence available as a youth, the offender would receive less than one year of programming with an IRCS. It could also include the individual moving back to La Ronge, which Petersen called a real possibility.

“We have had IRCS sentences less than a year, but our preference is more than a year,” she said.

Court is scheduled to continue in La Ronge for the next few days with four more people expected to testify. Those people include youth facility workers, a parole officer and a program director.

Austin Bird and a 15-year-old boy, who both pleaded guilty to manslaughter, have already been sentenced with Bird receiving seven years and the youth given three. Last month, the offender was called the main planner by a probations supervisor who testified in court.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno