A. Abassi

Jarnail Randhawa pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of his wife.

The court determined the parole ineligibility period, which is statutorily set at a minimum of 10 years, considering aggravating factors such as the brutality of the attack, gratuitous violence, abuse of trust, and leaving the victim to die, as well as mitigating factors including the guilty plea, remorse, lack of prior criminal record, and harsh pre-sentence custody conditions.

The court imposed a life sentence with parole ineligibility set at 13 years, along with a lifetime weapons prohibition and a DNA order.

The Crown sought to amend the Information to change the charge from possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking to simple possession under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to proceed summarily rather than by way of preliminary hearing.

The defendant opposed the amendment, having prepared for and requested a preliminary hearing.

The court denied the Crown's application, finding it inappropriate to permit the amendment given that the defendant had requested a preliminary hearing, had not prepared for trial, and had not been given timely notice of the Crown's intention to change the mode of proceeding.