(ASHLEY LEGASSIC / iNFOnews.ca)

There has been a further delay in the sentencing hearing for a Kamloops man who assaulted and robbed a man and accidentally shot an innocent neighbour.

Kamloops Supreme Court continued to hear submissions from Crown and defence lawyers in the case today, Aug. 12. 

Bradley John Hartling, born 1989, was found guilty in March of charges including assault with a weapon, careless use or storage of a firearm, pointing a firearm, committing a robbery where a firearm is used and uttering threats. He was found not guilty of the sixth charge, which was use of an imitation firearm. Since the shots were proven to have been fired through the wall, the charge was moot.

On Nov. 4, 2017, Brett Haynes and his girlfriend were buying heroin from their dealer in an apartment at 805 Holt St. A surveillance video shown at the trial shows Hartling entering the unit, demanding car keys from Haynes, and hitting Haynes in the head with a gun. The gun subsequently fired through the wall, shooting an innocent man in the hand while he slept.

Crown prosecutor Tim Livingston has asked for seven year sentence, minus 753 days credit for time already served. Hartling’s defence council, Lisa Scruton, was looking for four years of jail time, one year of house arrest and probation.

READ MORE: Defense argues no solid ID in robbery, accidental shooting case

The court heard Hartling has a troubled family history and had been given drugs and alcohol by a family member when he was just ten years old. A history of abuse, both physical and sexual, lead him to turn to substances. Hartling has a young daughter and Scruton says he has been working to get his life on track to one day regain custody, including moving back to Kamloops after completing treatment in Abbotsford.

"He was really, really focused on doing everything he could to get her back,” Scruton says. “He ended up moving closer to Kamloops to be closer to (his daughter) because it did seem that there was a real possibility of her getting placed with him. So he moved back to Kamloops and unfortunately, he struggled. He did end up having a relapse.”

Scruton noted that although Hartling may have relapsed since the incident in 2017, he has aways gone to rehabilitation centres and taken the steps necessary to get his life back on track. Scruton says his client also keeps busy while in prison, completing various construction and work-related certificates as well as earning his high school diploma with honours.

“Personally, I just think this is astounding because he left school in grade eight... so to have done so many years of schooling while incarcerated and to have graduated with honours, I really think it shows how much potential Mr. Hartling has for basically anything he sets his mind to,” Scruton says.

READ MORE: Man found guilty of robbery, shooting innocent neighbour

Hartling read a statement before the court and apologized to the family who lived next door where the stray bullet went.

“I can’t begin to try even having to imagine how scary it must have been waking up not knowing or understanding why you were injured,” Hartling says. “I never meant to hurt or cause pain to your family. I take full responsibility, I made a very careless mistake and I was in a seriously unstable condition… I pray a situation like this never finds its way to you or your family again.”

The court heard the young family who lived next door immediately left their home and never slept there again after that night.

“I thought I was someone else, I was confused, unaware and ultimately deceived and once I had the chance to really look at myself and work on myself, I become 100 per cent sure that I don’t want to hurt or be hurt anymore,” Hartling says. “I’m glad to pay my debt that is owed so I can move on as a father.”

Hartling will be back in court by video on Wednesday, Aug. 19 to receive his sentence.

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