Second degree murder, Robbery, Motor vehicle theft
R. v. Priddle
- Below the Crown's ask
Sentence and the Crown's position
Both are life sentences, so the bars compare how long before parole can be considered.
What the law allows
Luke Priddle was convicted by a jury of second degree murder, robbery and theft of a motor vehicle for fatally stabbing a man during a dispute over a drug debt in Tofino in December 2020. The Crown sought life imprisonment with parole ineligibility of 15 years. Justice Wedge imposed life imprisonment with the minimum 10 years of parole ineligibility, with concurrent terms of 24 months and six months, finding the killing unplanned and impulsive and citing Priddle's youth, lack of a criminal record and rehabilitation in the years after the offence.
In the judge's words
1In the present case, the facts strongly suggest that rehabilitation based on Mr. Priddle's age and conduct both before and after the event is a significant mitigating factor.
The record
- Convicted of
- Second degree murder (CC 231(7))
- Robbery (CC 344)
- Motor vehicle theft (CC 333.1)
- Prior convictions
- 0 prior convictions1
- At the time of the offence
- Not stated1
- Defence asked for
- Life, no parole for 10 years1
- Mandatory minimum
- Applied1
- Appeal
- Not yet checked
- Counsel
- Crown: L. Pearce
Defence: D. Marshall, O. James
Sources
- R. v. Priddle, 2025 BCSC 2538 Court decision, CanLII, September 22, 2025
[7] The Crown seeks a parole ineligibility period of 15 years with respect to the life sentence for second degree murder, two to three years concurrent for the robbery conviction, and six months concurrent for the theft conviction.
[8] The defence submits that the appropriate period of parole ineligibility for the murder conviction is 10 years, and for the robbery conviction between 12 and 24 months concurrent, and for the theft conviction one to six months concurrent.
[25] As noted earlier, the main issue here is the length of the period he must remain in prison before he can apply for release on parole. It is mandatory that he spend at least 10 years before then.
[1] THE COURT: Luke Anthony Priddle was convicted by a jury of second degree murder
[27] As noted, Mr. Priddle was 23 when these offences occurred. He had no prior criminal record.
[47] In the present case, the facts strongly suggest that rehabilitation based on Mr. Priddle's age and conduct both before and after the event is a significant mitigating factor.
[60] Mr. Priddle, on Count 1, second degree murder of Mathew Phillips, I sentence you to life in prison with a parole ineligibility period of 10 years. On Count 2, the charge of robbery, I sentence you to 24 months to serve concurrently to the sentence for murder; and on Count 3, the charge of theft of a motor vehicle, I sentence you to six months in prison to be served concurrently.
- R. v. Priddle, 2025 BCSC 2538 Court decision, Courts of British Columbia