KELOWNA (NEWS1130) – A man who lit his drunk friend on fire at a Kelowna house party and filming it has been sentenced to 18 months in jail and two years’ probation.
Prosecutors were calling for 20-year-old Matthew Sweet-Grant to spend six to eight years behind bars for the assault that an 18-year-old in hospital for two months with third-degree burns.
Ragnar Haagen with Castanet.net has been following the case and says the practical joke has angered a lot of people.
“I think everyone was quite surprised, whether it was a joke or not. It seems the defence is trying to pawn it off on kids watching TV, or that they’ve done it before with their group of friends,” he tells us.
Sites like YouTube are flooded with videos of similar pranks, but this one left a man permanently disfigured.
Haagen says Sweet-Grant has recently turned 20. “He is small for his age and I understand he has also been getting a lot of flack while he has been in remand.”
Sweet-Grant pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. A psychiatric evaluation was also ordered.
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Where are all the racist white people today suggesting that these ‘kids’ do not follow Canadian values and should go back to where they came from?
Prosecutors were calling for 20-year-old Matthew Sweet-Grant to spend six to eight years behind bars for the assault that LEFT an 18-year-old in hospital for two months with third-degree burns.
Huh? Another News1130 typo…. all too common. You guys need to have someone else proof your stories before you post them….. I have taken the liberty of clarifying the confusing sentence above by adding the presumably missing word in CAPS.
Please stop making me tear out what’s left of my hair by checking your stories carefully before you post them. I find typos in your stories almost every day. However, I do acknowledge that I am rather a grammar disciple.
As for the story, would have thought the Mr. Sweet-Grant should get more jail time, as it’s rather a violent crime. But Kai, murder?? Seriously?
agree 100 percent.
No photos of perp? Why not? If he was South Asian or First Nation or Black, there’d be a pic. For sure.
so true.
Why is our justice system so lenient?? Be it murder, disfigurement, rape, incest or driving drunk, etc, and how can we change it? Will someone direct me to an action?
18 months, he sets a guy on fire and gets 18 months… only in Canada!
Sweet-Grant has recently turned 20. “He is small for his age … I believe they’re referring to his brain size.
This is pre-meditated first degree murder and 18 months only. Only in Canada.
Kai, are you serious? Did you read the story? Or even worse, do you understand what murder is?
Some deterrent….Unbelievable – only 18 months – even less with time served, and good behaviour…..Some day victims will get te justice they deserve – just heaven knows when….I hope the Crown appeals…
18 months for lighting a guy on fire? and permanently disfiguring him?
Welcome to BC.
He would have received a much stiffer sentence if he lit a cross on fire on his own property.