Latest news with #BrettSheffield
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Jailed for 4 years, Scottish soldier who killed man in 'vicious' Canadian bar brawl
A Scots soldier has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for killing a man in a bar in Canada. Corporal Craig Gibson, 30, struck Brett Sheffield three times with an elbow to the head and neck that later resulted in his death. Mr Sheffield, a 38-year-old businessman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was left critically injured in the attack at a Toronto pub on August 28, 2023. He died two days later in hospital. Gibson, of Dalry, Ayrshire, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter at Ontario Superior Court of Justice but was found guilty following a trial in December. The dad-of-one, who was originally charged with second-degree murder, has now been sentenced to four years and four months imprisonment. The soldier, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan with 4 Scots, known as the Highlanders, was in Canada to take part in a military exercise. He has been dishonourably discharged from the Army following his conviction. CCTV footage from the Locals Only bar was played to the jury at Gibson's trial. It showed the soldier, who was wearing a kilt and Toronto Blue Jays shirt, striking his victim while the pair were standing at the bar. Brett Sheffield, 38, died in hospital two days after the assault. Mr Sheffield was on a business trip with colleagues when he started talking to the Scot. Their exchanges were initially good-natured but after a disagreement arose Gibson hit Mr Sheffield with his elbow three times. A forensic pathologist testified that the cause of death was a ruptured artery in his neck caused by blunt-force trauma. Gibson claimed he thought Mr Sheffield was going to stab him during the altercation. He told the court: 'I had seen his hand backing up. At the time I was certain he had a knife.' However, a jury rejected his claim that he had acted in self-defence. The trial in Toronto heard how Gibson had drank several shots of whisky as he partied with around a dozen other squaddies in the city before the drunken bust-up. Addressing Mr Sheffield's family in court, Gibson, who has no previous convictions, said: 'I'm deeply sorry. Mr Sheffield did not deserve to die. 'It's something I have to live with for the rest of my life.' Sentencing Gibson, Judge Justice Katherine Corrick said what happened was not a bar fight but a 'vicious assault with tragic consequences'. Prosecutors had recommended a six-and-a-half-year sentence in the case while Gibson's defence team had asked for a jail term of between two and three years. A tribute was paid to Mr Sheffield online by his colleagues at NextGen Drainage, a firm he founded. They said: 'Brett Sheffield passed away on August 30 due to a random act of violence. His absence is felt deeply across the community, our company, and his vast network of friends and colleagues. 'Brett's passion for helping every person feel valued and cared for will continue to motivate us.'
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Ex-British soldier gets over 4 years in prison for manslaughter of Winnipeg man in Toronto bar
A former British soldier was sentenced on Tuesday to more than four years in prison for the manslaughter of a Winnipeg businessman in a Toronto bar in August 2023. Ontario Superior Court Justice Katherine Corrick, in her reasons for the sentence, said what happened on Aug. 28, 2023 was not a bar fight but instead a "vicious assault with tragic consequences." Craig Gibson, 30, a former British corporal, struck Brett Sheffield, 38, three times in the head with his elbow after a verbal fight in the Locals Only bar on King Street West that night. Sheffield died in hospital two days later from from a ruptured artery at the base of his brain. According to the facts of the case, Gibson was in the bar during a stopover in Toronto while on his way home to England. In the bar, he met Sheffield who was on a business trip from Winnipeg. Corrick said the two men were captured on video socializing and drinking copious amount of alcohol. Sheffield then bought cocaine from the bartender and openly shared it. A dispute started when Sheffield held some cocaine up to Gibson's nose and ignored Gibson when he tried to speak to him. Corrick said Gibson, whom she described as "a strong and powerful man" struck Sheffield three times in the head and continued trying to strike him until he was pulled away by others. Corrick said Sheffield was struck without warning and was in no position to defend himself. He was taken to hospital, where he died. Gibson was convicted on Dec. 20, 2024 of manslaughter after a trial by jury. His defence of self-defence was rejected by the jury. Gibson was dishonourably discharged from the British Army after being taken into custody. He had served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Kosovo during his career. Corrick said it is impossible to capture the "profound sense of loss" of Sheffield's loved ones as described by their victim impact statements. "Mr. Sheffield's loved ones mourn not only his loss, but they also mourn the future with him that has been denied them. They are left with scars that will never heal and lives that are forever diminished," she said. "No sentence I impose on Mr. Gibson can ever compensate Mr. Sheffield's friends and family for their terrible loss." The judge noted Gibson is profoundly remorseful for his actions and he apologized to Sheffield's family for the pain he has caused. Corrick said in sentencing she considered that fact that Gibson will be serving his sentence in a foreign country far away from family and friends who will not be able visit regularly as they reside in England.
