Wednesday December 2, 2015 (Vol. 40 No. 96)
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Undefeated run: The Earl Marriott Mariners didn’t lose a regular-season football game all season, and they weren’t about to start Saturday at BC Place, overcoming early game struggles to win a second straight Tier 2 championship. i see page 23
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Killer of Corey Bennett sentenced to 13 years in prison
Victim’s family welcomes jail term Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
The man responsible for the shooting death of Corey Bennett in South Surrey two years ago is to spend another 10 years behind bars for the crime. And while family members of the victim said outside court they would have liked to see a longer sentence imposed on Donald James Chad Jr., they agreed it was “wellthought-out.â€? “Given the evidence and preliminary trial‌ I think the judge did a good job,â€? Bennett’s sister, Jamie England, said Friday.
Bennett’s daughter, Kaitlyn Denton, said it was “a little bit more reassuringâ€? to know Chad – whom she saw for the first time in court that day – was sentenced. Bennett’s cousin, Adelle Rose Moreno, said it “helps us‌ go on with our lives and try to heal now.â€? “It’s like an open wound that’s been there for the past two years.â€? In deciding on the sentence, Judge James Jardine said he kept in mind that Chad didn’t intentionally pull the trigger, as well as that he entered a guilty plea and issued a “sincere‌ insightfulâ€? apology to Bennett’s family.
But Jardine said he couldn’t ignore that Chad, now 32, had only recently been paroled on the night he went to Bennett’s home with a plan to “retaliate, intimidate, extort, rob and humiliate� him. Nor could he discount that Chad continued to engage in high-risk crime from the moment the gun went off until his arrest nearly two weeks later. “His record and his conduct demonstrates that he continues to be a danger in the community,� Jardine said Friday morning in Surrey Provincial Court. i see page 4
Tracy Holmes photo
Corey Bennett’s family speaks outside court.
Smoke alarm lacking
RV fire fatality A South Surrey man is dead after an early-morning motorhome fire at an RV park last week. And fire officials say the tragedy is a blunt reminder of the need for working smoke alarms. Emergency crews were called to Seacrest Motel & RV Park in the 800-block of 160 Street at 7:30 a.m. Friday to find a motorhome “fully engulfed in fire.� Neighbours had called 911 after seeing smoke but were not able to gain entry into the unit. Surrey firefighters put the blaze out and found one resident inside. Despite resuscitation efforts, the 52-year-old man did not survive. Police would not disclose the identify of the deceased, and the coroner could not be reached by Peace Arch News press time Tuesday. Seacrest manager Nina Bates said the victim had lived at the site for about a year. “He was a very nice man,� she told PAN. “Friendly.� Surrey RCMP officers, fire crews and the coroner’s office were on the scene on the Surrey-White Rock border Friday morning, and RCMP said “at this point, foul play is not suspected.� i see page 4
Boaz Joseph photos
Welcoming the season Sunny weather contributed to record attendance at this year’s Christmas on the Peninsula festival in uptown White Rock on Saturday – with 2,165 visitors alone counted at the main venue, the White Rock Community Centre, by the time of the concluding Christmas tree lighting ceremony with Mayor Wayne Baldwin. Joanne Specht (above, centre) sings with carollers from White Rock Lutheran Church outside Coast Capital Playhouse, while 20-month-old Lily Preston (left) munches a cookie as dad Doug lifts her up for a good view of the old-style Christmas celebrations.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the year ahead age! from your friends at White Rock Seniors Village! & $ / ) )
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Come see our newly renovated suites.
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