Convicted killer Skylar Prockner will be immediately transferred to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary to begin serving his life sentence.
A placement hearing report recommended Prockner go directly to a federal penitentiary, and on Friday, Justice Jennifer Pritchard agreed.
“In the end and based largely on the placement hearing report, I conclude the most appropriate place for Mr. Prockner at this time is an immediate transfer to the federal penitentiary,” Pritchard said.
At issue was where Prockner should start his life sentence before he turns 20. He can either remain at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre or be transferred to an adult facility.
Prockner’s defence lawyer, James Struthers, said that remaining at the youth centre would grant him access to programs that could help him and that the proximity to his family could be of benefit to Prockner.
Crown prosecutor Chris White disagreed, arguing the youth centre is for young offenders, not for “20-year-old men convicted of cold blooded murder”.
White argued Prockner should be moved to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary, stating he had a high risk to re-offend and the Paul Dojack Youth Centre is not equipped to deal with him.
“The issues raised by counsel for the accused during the hearing, it didn’t appear as they were significant enough to halt was it likely to be an inevitable transfer,” White said outside the courthouse.
“This is close to final as it could get. It was found an adult sentence was appropriate. He was given a life sentence, with no possibility of parole for 10 years. He’s been told he has to serve in the pen. I don’t know what other recourse he has.”
On the issue of family, Pritchard had some harsh words on Thursday, questioning whether being close to family would actually be beneficial to Prockner.
The 19-year-old was sentenced as an adult to life imprisonment with no parole eligibility for 10 years back in July for the murder of 16-year-old Hannah Leflar.
He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for killing Leflar in 2015.
The Crown is now preparing for their next trial. A second co-accused, who cannot be identified because he was under 18 years old at the time of the murder, pleaded guilty to second degree murder for his role in Leflar’s death back in February.
His sentencing hearing is expected in the next couple of weeks.
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