‘Brutal’ killer will be out of jail in 21 months

Calgary man’s manslaughter sentence shortened based on tragic background

The brutal killing of a Calgary man at Olympic Plaza has landed a city resident an eight-year sentence.

But with credit for so-called dead time on remand, William Littlechild will only have to serve another 21 months for manslaughter.

Justice Richard Neufeld said Littlechild’s unprovoked July 26, 2013 attack on Robyn Gladue amounted to a “near murder,” which would warrant a 10-year prison term.

But Neufeld said a number of mitigating factors, including Littlechild’s tragic Aboriginal background, warranted a reduction of two years.

Crown prosecutor Samina Dhalla sought a period of 12 years, but Neufeld said that was too high.

Defence lawyer Kathryn Quinlan argued for a sentence in the six- to eight-year range, which would allow Neufeld to place Littlechild, 24, on probation as well.

Since Littlechild’s remaining custodial term is less than two years, a period of probation on top of it is allowed under the Criminal Code.

Neufeld ordered Littlechild to serve a period of probation of two years following his release from jail, during which he must undergo counselling for issues such as alcohol abuse and anger management.

Those two factors played heavily in the unprovoked attack on Gladue, 38.

Gladue was sitting on a bench in Olympic Plaza when he was approached by a heavily intoxicated Littlechild.

The two men got into an argument and Littlechild shoved Gladue to the ground.

An unidentified acquaintance with Littlechild then handed him a knife, and he slashed the victim’s throat and repeatedly stabbed him.

He also punched and stomped Gladue as he lay bleeding on the ground.

Littlechild was charged with second-degree murder, but a jury ruled his gross intoxication prevented him from forming the intent to commit murder.

Neufeld said the assault was particularly brutal.

“You did a terrible thing in taking the life of another Canadian in an act of senseless brutality,” the Court of Queen’s Bench judge said.

“The circumstances of this particular offence were unusually brutal,” Neufeld said.

“He took a knife ... and slit Mr. Gladue’s throat, he stabbed him five more times, and kicked and stomped him.”

Neufeld noted Littlechild, who was 20 at the time of the killing, endured a tragic childhood of physical and sexual abuse, and alcoholism in his family.

He also said both his parents and grandparents endured residential schools growing up.

You did a terrible thing in taking the life of another Canadian in an act of senseless brutality. JUSTICE RICHARD NEUFELD, sentencing William Little child