Sentence Watch

Second degree murder

R. v. Wesley

Crown askedLife, no parole for 20 years1
Judge imposedLife imprisonment, no parole eligibility for 20 years1

Both are life sentences, so the bars compare how long before parole can be considered.

What the law allows

MaximumLife imprisonment
Crown askedLife, no parole for 20 years
Judge imposedLife, no parole for 20 years
Defence askedLife, no parole for 20 years
For second degree murder (CC 231(7)), the Criminal Code makes life imprisonment mandatory; the judge sets how long before parole can first be considered. Life is drawn at 25 years for scale. Read the section.

Kevin Percy Wesley pleaded guilty to second degree murder for luring a man to a park in Abbotsford and killing him in a planned attack with a garrote and a knife. The Crown and defence jointly proposed life imprisonment with no parole eligibility for 20 years. Justice Dley accepted the joint submission, finding the appropriate range of parole ineligibility was 18 to 22 years, and imposed life imprisonment without parole eligibility for 20 years.

In the judge's words

I am satisfied that the proposed sentence is appropriate. I have been provided with all of the information from Crown and defence as to how the guilty plea came about, the rationale for the plea, and the basis for the proposed 20‑year sentence.

1

The record

Convicted of
Prior convictions
0 prior convictions1
At the time of the offence
Not stated1
Defence asked for
Life, no parole for 20 years1
Appeal
Not yet checked
Counsel
Crown: T. Iandiorio
Defence: W.M. Finch, K.C.

More cases by The Honourable Justice S. Dev Dley

  1. December 18, 2025
    R. v. Losch, 2025 BCSC 2591Manslaughter; Indignity to human remains, Mission
    • Below the Crown's ask
    10 years for manslaughter plus 2 years consecutive for interfering with human remains (12 years total), less 1,280 days credit
  2. January 27, 2025
    R. v. H.C.D., 2025 BCSC 450Sexual assault, Abbotsford
    • Below the Crown's ask
    18 months jail, then 3 years probation
  3. July 4, 2024
    R. v. Sandhu, 2024 BCSC 1388Second degree murder, Abbotsford
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 years
  4. September 7, 2023
    R. v. D.A.G., 2023 BCSC 1643Manslaughter; Kidnapping, Cultus Lake
    • Below the Crown's ask
    • On release at the time
    8 years on each of kidnapping and manslaughter, concurrent, less 1,206 days credit

All cases by The Honourable Justice S. Dev Dley (5)

More second degree murder cases

  1. July 10, 2026
    R. v. Jafari, 2026 BCSC 1468Manslaughter, Burnaby. Justice Michael Tammen
    10 years imprisonment less 1,130 days pre-sentence credit; 82 months going forward
  2. July 9, 2026
    R. v. K.C., 2026 BCSC 1289Second degree murder, Vancouver. Justice Heather J. Holmes
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Life imprisonment on each count, concurrent; no parole eligibility for 17 years
  3. May 26, 2026
    R. v. Dennis, 2026 BCSC 1113Second degree murder, Prince George. Justice Simon R. Coval
    Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years (concurrent on both counts)
  4. May 15, 2026
    R. v. Freeman, 2026 BCSC 998Second degree murder; Manslaughter with a firearm, Chilliwack. Justice Andrea L. Ormiston
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years (second degree murder); 8 years concurrent for manslaughter

All second degree murder cases (56)

More from the Supreme Court of British Columbia

  1. September 18, 2026
    R v Alves, 2026 BCSC 1792Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Production of a Schedule I or II substance; Possession of anything for use in producing or trafficking a controlled substance, Maple Ridge. Justice Terence A. Schultes
    3 years' imprisonment on counts 1 and 2 and 2 years on count 3, concurrent
  2. September 15, 2026
    R. v. C.S.M., 2026 BCSC 1770Manslaughter, Coquitlam. Justice David M. Layton
    2 years and 99 days in custody, less 99 days credit (2 years remaining)
  3. September 11, 2026
    R. v. Dansereau, 2026 BCSC 1781Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order, Rossland. Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
    5 years in custody (3.5 years firearm, concurrent 24 months drug, plus 1.5 years consecutive for breach of weapons prohibition), less 978 days credit
  4. September 11, 2026
    R v Stuart, 2026 BCSC 1783Aggravated assault, Vancouver. Justice Elin Sigurdson
    • Below the Crown's ask
    • No jail for a violent offence
    Two years less one day conditional sentence (201 days credited), followed by probation

All cases from the Supreme Court of British Columbia (520)

More cases in Abbotsford

  1. January 30, 2026
    R. v. Santolla, 2026 BCSC 204Weapons trafficking; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking. Justice Warren B. Milman
    8 years imprisonment (3 years on manufacturing a restricted firearm, consecutive to concurrent 4 and 5 years on two drug counts)
  2. January 27, 2025
    R. v. H.C.D., 2025 BCSC 450Sexual assault. Justice S. Dev Dley
    • Below the Crown's ask
    18 months jail, then 3 years probation
  3. July 4, 2024
    R. v. Sandhu, 2024 BCSC 1388Second degree murder. Justice S. Dev Dley
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 years
  4. November 2, 2023
    R. v. R.L., 2023 BCSC 2154Sexual assault. Justice Ian Caldwell
    24 months jail (consecutive terms on six counts), then 36 months probation

All cases in Abbotsford (10)

Sources

  1. R. v. Wesley, 2023 BCSC 1273 Court decision, CanLII, July 5, 2023[2] The Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sets out that the range for parole eligibility regarding second degree murder is between 10 and 25 years. It is proposed jointly that Mr. Wesley not be eligible for parole for a period of 20 years.[2] The Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sets out that the range for parole eligibility regarding second degree murder is between 10 and 25 years. It is proposed jointly that Mr. Wesley not be eligible for parole for a period of 20 years.[1] THE COURT: Mr. Wesley has pled guilty to the second degree murder of … The court has been presented with a joint submission.[30] The mitigating circumstances include the guilty plea and the absence of a criminal record.[36] I am satisfied that the proposed sentence is appropriate. I have been provided with all of the information from Crown and defence as to how the guilty plea came about, the rationale for the plea, and the basis for the proposed 20‑year sentence.[39] I am satisfied that the appropriate sentence is life imprisonment without eligibility for parole for 20 years.
  2. R. v. Wesley, 2023 BCSC 1273 Court decision, Courts of British Columbia

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