How the resolution hearing unfolded
Court in Owen Sound, Ont., on Friday heard guilty pleas from three British men charged in connection with the death of local restaurant owner Sharif Rahman in August 2023.
Robert Evans Jr. had been charged with manslaughter, while his father, Robert Busby Evans, and uncle, Barry Evans, were each charged with accessory after the fact.
In Friday’s resolution hearing, the Crown and defence proposed a 42-month sentence for Evans Jr. and 21-month sentences each for his father and uncle.
Evans Jr. stood and delivered an apology to the court, saying he knew Rahman was a good, family man who was respected in the community.
In the agreed statement of facts, court heard how Rahman was struck by Evans Jr. outside his restaurant, The Curry House, following a bill dispute. Rahman died in a London, Ont., hospital a week later.
“This never should have happened. I didn’t mean for him to die. … I’m sickened by the damage that I’ve caused,” Evans Jr. said in his apology.
After accepting the joint submission from Crown and defence lawyers, Justice Christopher Chorney sentenced Robert Busby Evans and Barry Evans to 21-month terms.
In delivering his decision, Chorney said he had considered all the circumstances and found the proposed sentences to be appropriate.
The judge also referenced how quickly the men fled Canada after the incident, saying it demonstrated they understood the seriousness of what had occurred. They were extradited last October and have been in custody since.
Because Robert Busby Evans and Barry Evans have accumulated significant pretrial custody credit, they will remain in custody pending transfer to the CBSA for deportation proceedings to the U.K.
A sentencing hearing for Evans Jr. is scheduled for the morning of July 10.
