Court hears Hannah Leflar killer ‘minimizes’ role

A pre-sentence report written about one of the teen killers of Hannah Leflar was documented in court Wednesday as his adult sentencing hearing continued.

The pre-sentence report recommends to the court what an appropriate sentence would be and looks at his risk to re-offend.

It is based on case files, interviews, including with the teen, and it applies a standardized score based on a series of questions.

Elizabeth Christoffel, with the Ministry of Justice, wrote the report and on the stand documented that the teen fell in the 36 percentile to reoffend in general, not specifically violent, crimes.

She identified the major issue as the teen “minimizes his responsibility and role in the murder.”

While he vocalizes wanting to make improvements, Christoffel maintains there is little evidence of that in practice.

He shows remorse and regret but there is a disconnect between that and his taking responsibility for his offence.

“He’s wrapped up in everything being someone else’s fault,” she said, quoting a youth worker at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre.

Anger management was a frequent topic raised by Crown lawyer Chris White.

Christoffel explained the teen only does what’s was described as the “bare minimum,” and will throw temper tantrums if things don’t go well or if he is called out for something.

Asked about the Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program offered to youth, Christoffel admitted the level of engagement required to benefit from such a program “is a concern” for this teen.

On Wednesday afternoon, IRCS provincial coordinator Jennifer Peterson confirmed while there were reservations, IRCS was being recommended in the teen’s case.

All involved said his age, 20 next August, is a factor in how beneficial the IRCS program will be

When questioned by defence lawyer Greg Wilson about why the opinion of the Leflar family was included in the report, Christoffel explained it was standard practice, even though it will have no legal bearing on the conclusion of the report.

The teen scored poorly in areas about his family and friends.

Wilson pointed out what he called “the unfairness” in being deemed to have pro-criminal friends, when the teen is housed in a custody facility filled only with those who have committed a crime.

The teen also scored negatively for his relationship, or lack thereof, with his mother, who was described in court as a drug addict the teen has no contact with. The teen had sought help from social services in the past for financial help, to care for himself and his brother when abandoned by their mother. Wilson again pointed to the unfairness in scoring someone negatively despite all efforts he made to be a caretaker for his sibling.

The Crown is seeking an adult sentence for the role the teen played in the Leflar killing.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February.

Leflar was found stabbed to death in her north Regina home in January 2015.