Trucker sentenced to more than 12 years for manslaughter in woman's Edmonton hotel death
An Ontario trucker found guilty of killing a woman in his Edmonton hotel room in 2011 was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison on Tuesday.
Bradley Barton, 53, was convicted in February in the manslaughter of Cindy Gladue, a 36-year-old Metis and Cree woman who died in his room at the Yellowhead Inn in June 2011.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Stephen Hillier ruled Barton had "an intolerable level of blameworthiness" in Gladue's death.
"“No words can capture the tragedy and sorrow, particularly for the young family left suddenly without a mother.”
Barton has 11 years and 204 days (about seven months) remaining on the sentence with credit for time served.
Justice Hillier noted Barton's "sustained deceits" in testifying, calling them "a series of lies" that were "an unyielding attempt to avoid responsibility for Ms. Gladue's death."
"His responses were simply unreliable distortions ... in attempts to rationalize his words and actions."
Barton is also subject to a mandatory DNA order, a weapons ban, and 20-year registration as a sex offender.
Justice Hillier cited Barton's failure to help a bleeding Gladue, the deliberateness of his actions as well as his lies to police and hotel staff as aggravating factors in sentencing.
At trial, the court heard that Gladue had four times the legal limit of alcohol in her system and bled to death from a severe wound in her vagina.
Barton testified he paid Gladue for sex and was shocked to find her bloody body in the bathtub the next morning.
Crown prosecutors asked that Barton be sentenced to 18 to 20 years in prison. Defence lawyer Dino Bottos argued for a sentence of between five and nine years for Barton.
Crown prosecutors argued Barton caused the fatal wound when he sexually assaulted Gladue.
Bottos argued Barton and Gladue had engaged in consensual sex acts.
"It's higher than what we thought Mr. Barton deserved," said Bottos of the sentence.
"It's a lot closer to what we were seeking than what the Crown was seeking so we're grateful for that."
After sentencing, Gladue's mother told reporters she wished Barton would've acted sooner to save her daughter.
"Maybe she would've been here today," McLeod said.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples called the sentence "shockingly low."
"The justice system, while arriving at the right verdict and retrial process, failed Cindy Gladue," reads a statement from the group.
"She was revictimized by the court process as was her family and community."
The sentence follows the second trial for Barton, a long-haul truck driver from Mississauga, Ont.
In 2015, a jury found him not guilty of first-degree murder. The verdict led to calls for justice for Indigenous women.
"I'd like to thank everyone across Canada all over who support us," said McLeod.
"I'm glad to see this all over."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.