Vernon Wooley said the man who took part in the death of his relative, Terrence Dale Wooley, should have a sentence longer than seven years. Vernon was with family members in Penticton court on Friday to see Michael Richard Beauchamp sentenced for his role in the 2009 beating death of Terrence Dale Wooley.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
June 28, 2013 - 4:44 PM
PENTICTON - Michael Richard Beauchamp needs more jail time than the seven years he'll serve for his role in the 2009 beating death of Terrence Dale Wooley, family and friends say.
Beauchamp, 43, was sentenced today for his part in an assault against Wooley, 51, in the spring of 2009 at Slack Alice's Show Pub. Wooley died a month later from complications. This is Beauchamp's second manslaughter conviction. He served five years in an Ontario prison more than a decade ago for beating a toddler to death.
Crown counsel John Swanson said the altercation started when Wooley complained about the price of a double whiskey. He finished his drink and slammed the glass down on the bar shattering it. He was punched in the head by a staff member, fell to the floor and was attacked by another employee. A security camera recorded partial footage of the fight inside the bar. An employee can be seen raising his leg as if to stomp down, but the prone Wooley was out of view.
A moment later Wooley was dragged out and dumped on the back steps. Beauchamp, who was in the bar at the time, left the building, found Wooley and proceeded to kick him once in the head. This might have caused the victim's skull to hit a telephone pole. Beauchamp went back inside a few seconds later.
A waitress found the beaten man who was, "Bleeding from his ears and his head was covered in blood," Swanson said. He was taken to Penticton Regional Hospital and then Kelowna General Hospital where a neurosurgeon treated him. Skull fragments had been pushed into Wooley's brain. He was sent to a Penticton hospice where he died from ammonia due to his injuries on May 24, 2009.
Medical evidence does not say Beauchamp's kick was the sole cause of death, Swanson added. Beauchamp did admit however his kick was a contributing factor. He was arrested about a year after the assault thanks to an RCMP undercover investigation.
Defence lawyer Robert Claus wanted consideration given to his client. Beauchamp is a father of two children, was gainfully employed, once owned his own tattoo shop and was also drunk at the time of the assault. The defence lawyer added the assault against Wooley "was not a prolonged beating."
Beauchamp had nothing to say when he was given a chance to speak by Justice Jeanne Watchuk.
Swanson and Claus said Beauchamp should have a 12-year sentence on the count of manslaughter. Watchuk agreed. She gave him credit for five years in prison, meaning on a 12-year-sentence, he has seven years remaining. Courts often afford "double-time" every day an accused spends in custody prior to conviction. Beauchamp was also sentenced for assaulting a woman.
Vernon Wooley wants Beauchamp to be locked up for good. He was outside the Penticton court house on Friday with family members and friends.
"I'm not satisfied with the...," he said before turning away for a moment. "...with the time. They should throw the key away so other people don't fall victim to people like him. I wish I could do something myself physically to him but I can't.... He will get out and do it to somebody else. I don't know why people have to fall victim to people like him. They shouldn't be allowed on the planet in the first place."
To contact a reporter for this story, to send photos or videos, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1
![Michael Richard Beauchamp was sentenced to 12 years with five years time served on Friday for his role in the 2009 beating death of Terrence Dale Wooley.](/news/medialibrary/image/mediaitemid2780-1462.jpg?q=90)
Michael Richard Beauchamp was sentenced to 12 years with five years time served on Friday for his role in the 2009 beating death of Terrence Dale Wooley.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
News from © iNFOnews, 2013