Crown seeks life sentence for man who attacked woman and baby in Sudbury
The man who pleaded guilty to a vicious 2019 knife attack on a Sudbury woman and her baby is another step closer to learning how much longer he will be in jail.
Day 2 of the sentencing hearing for Alexander Stavropoulos was held virtually Friday and included testimony from Dr. Jonathan Gray, a forensic psychiatrist, and victim impact statements.
The Crown attorneys on the case, Kevin Ludgate and Leonard Kim, are seeking a life sentence on the two attempted murder charges to which Stavropoulos pleaded guilty.
The stabbing in the parking lot of a Sudbury craft store on June 3, 2019, was not his first violent incident in Sudbury. He served 99 days in jail for another knife attack at the Sudbury transit terminal on April 1, 2018. He was on probation at the time of the second attack.
Stavropoulos is being represented by Nick Xynnis and Glenn Sandberg. Xynnis represented him in the transit centre incident. The defence said they will likely ask for a jail sentence of 8-12 years, minus credit for time served in custody. Stavropoulos has been in jail for 27 months.
Gray told the court there's a high risk Stavropoulos will reoffend, stating he is at a recidivism Level 7 out of 9. Stavropoulos said he targeted the child in the parking lot for shock value and the mother was collateral damage, Gray told the court.
The Crown's attempt to have Stavropoulos declared a dangerous offender last year failed after he pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
Sandberg told CTV News the guilty plea suggests he has remorse for what he did, that he has accepted responsibility and spared the victim from having to go to court to testify.
On Friday, the court heard that Stavropoulos left his hometown of Toronto because it was "too multicultural." In an interview after his arrest, he told officers that he wanted to randomly kill a white girl or child because he was sexually frustrated.
The court heard victim impact statements from the woman who was stabbed, her husband, her parents, and a bystander at the scene.
The victim described experiencing excruciating pain following the incident and the loss of sensation in her head and neck has not yet been completely resolved. She said a major artery to her brain had been severed as a result of the incident and her baby has a permanent scar on her chin from being cut.
The aftermath has also been extremely trying mentally, as well, and the woman said her baby rejected her for a while after she returned home.
The last scheduled day of the sentencing hearing will take place virtually Sept. 27. It is unclear whether Justice Karen Lische will deliver a decision on the final day or reserve it until a later time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP want Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
National task force not lowering age for routine breast cancer screening to 40
A national task force that provides guidance for primary health-care providers is not lowering the recommended breast cancer screening age to 40, despite urging from several cancer specialists, surgeons and radiologists.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.
How to save on food and drinks at your next sports game or concert
When Dianne Debarros and Tom Stitzel headed to a Toronto Blue Jays game last month, the couple figured dining at the Rogers Centre would not be cheap.
Video shows driver in Toronto frantically getting out of car being pushed by truck
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
These are the world's 20 best cities for foodies, according to Time Out
Some travellers pick a city break based on the destination’s cultural offerings. Others eye up cities with buzzy nightlife or opt for a destination hosting a festival or event. But for many vacationers, the most exciting part of any trip is the food.