Boy pleads guilty to manslaughter
One of two teenage boys charged along with four adults in connection with the death of a Stewart St. man who was found dead in his apartment bloodied by blunt force trauma on Nov. 26, 2016 has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, entered the plea to the lesser charge before Madam Justice Esther Rosenberg in Peterborough Ontario Court of Justice on Wednesday afternoon.
The boy was charged with firstdegree murder after six people were arrested in connection with the killing three days after Pringle’s body was found. He was 16 at the time.
A statement of facts agreed upon by the Crown and defence detailing what happened was read out in court for the first time Wednesday.
That information, however, is subject to a time-limited publication ban imposed by Rosenberg at the request of assistant Crown attorney Kelly Eberhard, who pointed out that the cases of five other co-accused remain before the court.
A representative of one local media outlet opposed that ban – prompting the judge to make the order temporary, so the issue can be fully litigated during a Sept. 27 hearing where the judge will hear formal written applications.
After finding the boy guilty, Rosenberg ordered probation services to create a pre-sentence report before the end of October. A sentencing hearing scheduled to last less than a half day was then set for Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.
In the meantime, the boy will return to court Sept. 27 for the hearing regarding the publication ban.
The other teenage co-accused, a 16-year-old, appeared in court immediately after the first.
The boy, who faces charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, formally re-elected to face a judgealone trial in Peterborough Ontario Court of Justice which was previously scheduled for seven days, beginning on Jan. 15.
He had elected on June 8 to be tried before a jury in Superior Court of Justice before developments involving other co-accused.
The boy, who was 15, will return to court Sept. 25 for further judicial pre-trial to fully determine how much trial time is needed, as well as for the Sept. 27 hearing.
A preliminary hearing, which determines if there is sufficient evidence to set the matter down for trial before a Superior Court judge, is scheduled for Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, Dec. 6 and Dec. 11 to 15 for three adult co-accused in the case.
They are also scheduled to return to provincial court Oct. 27 for a status hearing.
Jordan Osborne, 25, of Aylmer St, faces charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Joseph Crawford, 29, of Dalhousie St., faces charges of accessory after the fact to murder and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Christopher Bolton, 30, of Bethune St., faces charges of accessory after the fact to murder and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Samantha Hall, 26, admitted to planning the attack as she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an indictable offence causing bodily harm Aug. 23. She will be sentenced Oct. 31.