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The seven-year sentence handed down to a Calgary man who failed to take a mature approach to a “dispute between teenage boys” that led to a fatal car crash was justified, the province’s Supreme Court says.
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In a written ruling released Monday, a three-member Alberta Court of Appeal panel upheld provincial court judge Harry Van Harten’s decision to uphold the sentence. Udham Sandhu to seven years in prison for manslaughter.
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“You were a participant in the crimes with two adults that involved a dispute between young people,” Van Harten said in his April sentencing decision.
“In both cases you had different and wiser decisions to make.”
The appeal judges did not agree with the defender Balfour Der that the sentence of seven years manslaughter was demonstrably inappropriate.
“He found, as he was entitled to, that the offense was very serious and that the appellant had a high degree of responsibility,” they said of Van Harten’s verdict.
“He found it particularly aggravating that there was an element of planning … and the appellant decided to engage in a chase at high speed.”
Sandhu, who was 37 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in connection with the death of 15-year-old Yar.
Sandhu chased a Dodge Journey driven by Yar, who in connection with an earlier incident threw a brick at his car, which reached speeds of possibly as high as 157 km/h in a 60 km/h reached h-zone.
During the incident, the right front of Sandhu’s car made contact with the left rear of the SUV, causing it to spin counter-clockwise before rolling at least twice, throwing Yar to his death.
KMartin@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @KMartinCourts
