2nd teen involved in Hannah Leflar murder sentenced as youth

The second teen involved in the murder of Hannah Leflar will remain anonymous after being sentenced as a youth Tuesday.

He pleaded guilty in February to the second-degree murder of the 16-year-old who was found stabbed to death in her north Regina home in January 2015.

Justice Lian Schwann chose to ignore the time the teen already served and sentenced him to seven years, which includes four years in custody followed by three years in the community.

In her decision, Schwann said the Crown failed to meet the test of “diminished moral blameworthiness” that would be required in order to sentence him as an adult.

She said while the teen’s actions were “abhorrent”, he did not actively plan the crime nor did he actually stab his friend.

It was during a dramatic two-week long sentencing hearing in September where the teen confessed to lying about the murder and wanting Hannah dead.

The two had known each other for several years, not only having hung out and played video games in her basement but he had eaten supper with her family.

In her victim impact statement, Leflar’s mother Janet wrote that, “the most dangerous monster is the one that comes disguised as a friend.”

Janet, along with several other family members, could be hear sobbing as the decision was read.

Schwann began her decision by telling the Leflar family their grief was “palpable” and that Hannah’s death was “brutal and senseless.”

In concluding, Schwann looked directly at the teen telling him, “to search his soul and seek forgiveness every day for this heinous act.”

She added he should show “unwavering commitment to deal with his issues.”

Outside court Crown lawyer Chris White hoped the teen listened.

“We all have to be hopeful that, should this sentence stand, that it will have its intended effect, that this individual will do what he can to better himself while in custody and he will emerge from custody, whenever that is as a better, more mature, functioning adult,” White said.

White indicated there would likely be a discussion on whether to appeal but a decision wouldn’t be rushed.

Given the high-profile nature of the case, defence lawyer Greg Wilson told reporters he understood how many will feel.

“I get that this is not a popular decision, I get that people aren’t going to like it,” Wilson maintained.

It isn’t clear at this point whether the teen will move to an adult facility, as he turns 20 next August.

For now he will remain in the youth facility accessing programming through the Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision order than Schwann sentenced him to.

The other teen involved, 19-year-old Skylar Prockner, was convicted of first-degree murder in July and sentenced as an adult to life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 10 years.

This teen helped Prockner lure Leflar home and stood by and watched as she was stabbed multiple times in January 2015.