Home invader sentenced to nearly six years

Aman has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for carrying out a violent holiday-season home invasion in the VLA neighbourhood.

During an Oct. 16 hearing in provincial court, Ivan Christopher Skin was sentenced to five years nine months and 15 days and issued a 10-year firearms prohibition for break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence and robbery from the Dec. 28, 2017 incident.

In June, two co-accused - Vincent Williams and Theresa Marie Charlie - were acquitted of all charges while Skin was found guilty in a case that revolved around proving the identities of the perpetrators.

During a trial, victims said three people wearing masks burst into their 2100-block Redwood Street home, one carrying a bat and a can of mace and another carrying a gun and all yelling at the occupants to stay down and not look at the attackers.

The trio made off with a video game player, cash and cellphones after going through the home over the course of 15-20 minutes. At least two of the occupants were hit in the head and one was pistol whipped, creating a cut that required special stitching and left a scar, the court heard.

McDermick said the victim had been talking with him as recently as two to four weeks before the incident and noted a “squeaky man voice.”

One of the victims claimed he could recognize the voices of the three, but judge Peter McDermick found the evidence regarding two of them was not strong enough, noting in particular that the victim had not spoken with them in years and provided little more than vague and general descriptions. He also had difficulty recognizing Charlie from a photo book, the judge added.

However, in the case of Skin, McDermick said the victim had been talking with him as recently as two to four weeks before the incident and noted a “squeaky man voice.” As well, a bag holding a hat later identified through DNA testing as Skin’s was found across the street shortly after RCMP were called to the scene.

Williams and Charlie were arrested shortly after the incident and had remained in custody ever since - a total of 531 days.

Skin, who was also sentenced to time served on eight other counts from the event, had been in custody for 407 days prior to sentencing.