Man convicted in fatal fire should get 18 years in prison: Crown

Son and mother-in-law died in home blaze, accused was found guilty of manslaughter

A Richmond man who was convicted of killing his son and mother-in-law after setting the family home on fire should receive an 18-year jail term, a prosecutor argued Thursday.

In July, Surjit Singh Dosanjh, 40, was found guilty of the April 2015 manslaughter of his 13-year-old son, who can only be identified by the initial K due to a publication ban, and of his mother-inlaw, who is identified as E.L. in a court ruling.

In his sentencing submissions, Crown counsel Daniel Porte told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Voith that the lengthy jail term was necessary for denunciation and deterrence.

Porte said there were numerous aggravating factors and called the crimes “horrible and senseless.”

The wife of the accused, who can only be identified as L.L. due to the ban, said in a victim impact statement read out by Porte that her life was not normal anymore.

“Surjit, why would you destroy the only family you had and the one that we created together?”

L.L. said that as a mother, she should not have had to bury K, her son.

“The pain and suffering I have endured over the last 3 1/2 years has been unbearable. It has taken a toll on me that is unimaginable.”

The grandfather of K provided a victim impact statement outlining the close and loving relationship he had with his grandson.

“We had a small family to begin with. Now, in one fell swoop, half of our family is gone.”

Several other relatives read out their victim impact statements in court.

“How can I recount the terrible loss our family, (my sister’s) friends and society have suffered due to the premature death of a truly wonderful person,” a brother of E.L. told the judge.

“My sister was a kind, loving, thoughtful, funny, caring and patient person who truly cared for her family.”

Defence lawyer Emmet Duncan noted that his client had testified at trial and denied setting the fire.

“Mr. Dosanjh respectfully maintains that he did not set the fire and is therefore innocent,” Duncan told the judge, adding that the accused nonetheless respects the sentencing process.

He noted that it was undisputed that his client knew that L.L. was not home at the time of the fire and also believed that K was not at the residence.

Duncan argued that a more appropriate sentence was in the range of eight to 10 years, less credit for time spent in pre-sentence custody.

Dosanjh was born in Punjab, India and came to Canada in 1989 but has not got his citizenship and remains a permanent resident. He faces possible deportation after serving out his sentence.

In his verdict, the judge noted that before the fatal fire, the relationship between Dosanjh and L.L. had been angry and dysfunctional for many years, with the accused often leaving the family home for one or two nights at a time.

The couple often argued loudly and swore at each other and just before the fire, L.L. told Dosanjh that she was breaking up with him over concerns about his drug use.

In the 24 hours before the home on Cornerbrook Crescent was set on fire, Dosanjh vandalized E.L.’s car, made a series of threatening statements and shouted and swore at a police officer.

Dosanjh came to the home and started the fire in one of the bedrooms. Neighbours were alerted to the blaze and called 911.

When firefighters arrived, they found K on the floor, a few feet from his bedroom, and with his head facing the kitchen. E.L. was found slumped in a chair in the bedroom she shared with K.

The accused was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder but the judge found that the Crown had not proven that he intended to kill the victims. The judge found him guilty of the lesser and included offence of manslaughter.

The sentencing hearing is expected to continue Friday.

We had a small family to begin with. Now, in one fell swoop, half of our family is gone.”

Victim’s grandfather