Sentencing arguments have been heard in a case involving a fatal stabbing in Belleville.
Arguments were made before Justice Bonn at the Quinte Courthouse on Thursday in the sentencing of Hayden Moreton, who had previously plead guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The charges stem from an incident on January 6, 2024, where 23-year-old Christian Williams was fatally stabbed outside the Go-Go Club on North Front Street.
The crown asked for a sentence of seven to eight years with credit for pre-trial time served. Time served pre-trial is usually credited at 1.5 days per day served, meaning a total of 21 months for Moreton, as he had been held for 423 days before the trial.
The defence requested four years on the manslaughter charge with a one-year concurrent sentence on the aggravated assault charge, minus pre-trial time served. The defence cited several mitigating factors, including Moreton’s young age and the potential for rehabilitation.
During the hearing, the court heard a victim impact statement from the victim’s brother, Brandon Williams. He shared with the court the pain inflicted on himself and his family as they grieved the loss of his brother. He put focus on how his young children will never know their uncle, and the time he spent grieving meant that he couldn’t be as active as he should have been recently as a parent.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Bonn said that he had many things to consider, and that they would schedule sentencing at a later date.
