The Telegram (St. John's)

Brian King sentenced to three years for death of Hannah Thorne

- BY CHRIS LEWIS

Brian Robert King is facing just over three years in prison.

The 32-year-old was sentenced to 40 months, with six months and five days shaved off the original sentence of 46 months for a drag racing accident along the New Harbour Barrens, which resulted in the death of 18-year-old Hannah Thorne. The incident happened July 7, 2016.

King appeared in provincial court in Harbour Grace on Tuesday, as did family and friends of Thorne, including her mother and father, Gail and Levi.

During the court hearing, Judge Bruce Short reread part of the statement of facts provided to the court during a previous appearance, noting specifical­ly the speed at which King and co-accused Steven Mercer were travelling on Route 73 prior to the fatal head-on collision with Thorne’s vehicle, driven by Hannah’s grandmothe­r, Gertrude

Thorne.

King and Mercer’s drag race lasted approximat­ely 10 kilometres, reaching speeds of 160 km/h in the 80 km/h zone, passing multiple vehicles and experienci­ng several near misses with others in the oncoming lane of traffic.

Crown prosecutor Richard Deveau originally suggested a sentence of 42 to 48 months in prison, as well as a 10-year driving prohibitio­n.

Defence lawyer Catherine Boyde, however, suggested a two- to three-year sentence, noting King’s short criminal record, healthy family relationsh­ips and reasonable future prospects. It was also noted that since the incident, King has expressed significan­t anxiety and remorse.

However, Short’s decision landed King with a sentence of just over three years, totalling 40 months incarcerat­ion, followed by an eight-year driving prohibitio­n.

“Several victim impact statements were filed by those close to Hannah Thorne,” Short said during his decision. “It’s fair to say that they all reflect a profound sense of loss for a young woman who had a whole future ahead of her, and was seen as a beautiful person, a loving daughter and sister, and a best friend to many. Her loss is quite simply a senseless, horrible tragedy.”

Short also noted that while King had entered guilty pleas, the plea came relatively late into the matter, and King had been unco-operative during initial investigat­ions. King and Mercer, who entered not guilty pleas in Newfoundla­nd and Labrador Supreme Court last month, were arrested in the fall of 2016.

Following Short’s decision, Gail and Levi Thorne spoke with reporters, stating they were just happy it was over.

“There’s never, never going to be enough time to justify what he’s done to Hannah, and Gertie, and everyone else,” Gail said through tear-filled eyes. “Our lives will never be the same without Hannah.”

She said that she and other members of the family had been at the Harbour Grace courthouse on 22 different occasions for King’s matter. She said the support they’ve received from friends, as well as members of the community, helped tremendous­ly, but the tragedy never got easier to deal with.

“Unless you go through it yourself, no one really knows how it feels,” she said. “It’s a parent’s worst nightmare, to lose a child. Sometimes, it still doesn’t even feel real.”

 ?? CHRIS LEWIS/THE COMPASS ?? Brian Robert King, 32, in provincial court in Harbour Grace on Tuesday.
CHRIS LEWIS/THE COMPASS Brian Robert King, 32, in provincial court in Harbour Grace on Tuesday.

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