Year in Review: Sentences in Major Court Cases

Two major local court cases came to an end in Swift Current in 2012.

After 26 months before the court, two men were sentenced in June for their role in the 2010 death of a Swift Current man. John Donovan Park of Swift Current and Raymond Lynn Davis of Medicine Hat pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the April 2010 death of Roland Ruest that occurred during a robbery at his home in the city.

Justice Tim Keene accepted a joint submission by the Crown and Defence for seven years imprisonment for both men, less credit for time served in remand.

"Obviously, Mr. Justice Keene agreed with the Crown and Defense in terms of the submissions they made to the court in terms of the appropriate range," Crown Prosecutor Glen Herman said following the hearing. "But there's never any satisfaction in a resolution, quite frankly I think, in this kind of file, because nothing can obviously bring back Mr. Ruest."

The Swift Current Courthouse also saw the sentencing of two men involved in the biggest drug bust in Saskatchewan history. Twenty-six-year-old Brock Ernest Palfrey from Vernon, BC was sentenced to 18 years, and 26-year-old Troy Ernest Swanson was sentenced to 11 years in prison, both receiving credits for time served.

Police report the operation was trafficking upwards of 600kg of cocaine, valued at over $150 million, and 95,000 MDMA/Ecstasy pills with a street value of close to $9 million.

The crown had recommended sentences of 25 years for Palfrey and 15 years for Swanson.

More Year in Review stories:

Keystone XL Pipeline Rejected
Rick Hansen Relay
Central's Outdoor Classroom
City/RM Relations
Sask Hockey Hall of Fame Opens