Vancouver woman back in court for deadly Granville nightclub attack

The Vancouver woman who was convicted after a fatal attack outside a Vancouver nightclub last August was back in court Monday.

Back in July, 29-year-old Samantha Doolan pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the beating death of 28-year old Lauren McLellan. Doolan was in court Monday for a pre-sentencing hearing.

Vancouver police said the incident started when the two women got into an altercation about the bathroom line-up at Caprice Nightclub.

Police said at the time that the women took the fight outside and Doolan allegedly punched McLellan who collapsed to the ground. Nightclub staff intervened and stopped the attack, which allegedly continued even after McLellan was on the ground. She was rushed to hospital with severe head injuries and later died that same night.

Vancouver Police Sgt. Brian Montague called the incident tragic.

“This is something that at the beginning was very minor, it should not have resulted in an assault, an attack, and definitely shouldn’t have resulted in anyone’s death,” said Montague.

The deadly nightclub attack isn’t the first incident of violence on the Granville strip, prompting some to demand changes.

The association for safe bars and nightclubs, BarWatch, says it wants repeat offenders to be dealt with. Chair Curtis Robinson says court restrictions can be handed to people limiting their ability to go downtown, including limiting their ability to take transit.

Montague warns that people should think before they make a decision that they can’t take back.

“One punch can result in someone hitting their head, minor assaults can have grave consequences, their lives are forever changed,” said Montague.