PENTICTON — A Penticton man has been sentenced to six years in prison for killing a 16 year-old boy at a grad bush party.
Jamie Wolanski, 21, was charged with the second degree murder of Andrew McAdam but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
The stabbing happened in the upper Carmi area on June 17, 2011.
During sentencing Tuesday, the court heard how Wolanski had brought a pipe to the party and texted a friend to bring a weapon.
The friend brought a knife which Wolanski used to stab McAdam five times.
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The court heard victim impact statements from McAdam’s mother, father, sister, grandmother and cousin.
The mother, Linda Childs, said she will never forget receiving a call that her son had been stabbed. She said she can no longer sleep in her bed because that’s where she was when she got the call.
McAdam’s sister, Samantha McAdam, said she has been battling depression because she brought her younger brother to the party and felt guilty.
McAdam’s father issued a statement via video from prison where’s he’s serving a 20 month sentence for an undisclosed crime. The father said he has been battling depression and alcoholism since the fatal stabbing.
His grandmother, Heather Stewart, says it was difficult to plan for her grandson’s funeral when the family was supposed to be celebrating his birthday. He was killed three days before he turned 17-years-old.
Lastly, his cousin who represents the paternal-grandparents was tearful as she read her statement. She says the natural order of life was interpreted when the grandparents had to plan their grandson’s funeral.
Judge Sinclair describes the victim impact statements as “heart-wrenching expressions of anguish.”
He says his sentence will seem too light for the McAdam’s family, but too much for the Wolanski’s family.
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