FILE PHOTO.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

A Vernon man who stabbed his "friend" in the chest over an alleged debt will spend 16 months behind bars.

At the Vernon courthouse, April 26, Judge Jeremy Guild sentenced 47-year-old Edward Scott Coghill and told the court that it was only "luck" that prevented the injury from being much more serious.

The court heard how the victim was taken to hospital but didn't require surgery for the stab wound that, although not far from his heart, could be stitched up.

The court heard how in March 2020 Coghill pulled up in a vehicle while the victim was sitting outside a gas station scratching a lottery card he’d just bought.

Coghill then got out of the vehicle walked over to the victim and stabbed him in the chest. He then got back in the vehicle and drove off. The court heard how the entire incident only lasted 15 seconds.

"It was premeditated, it was unprovoked and the victim was vulnerable," Judge Guild told the court.

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The court heard how Coghill had stabbed his "friend" because he believed he owed him money. The victim denied owing any money to Coghill, saying he’d paid him back five months previous. The victim was described as a functioning drug addict.

Surveillance camera footage from the gas station was used as evidence for the attack, and Coghill had said his memory of the attack wasn’t clear because of his drug use.

The court heard that Coghill had grown up in northern B.C., had three children and five grandchildren. He moved to Vernon several years ago to be near one of his adult children.

Coghill had said that he "despised" drug addicts until he’d fallen into his own addiction. His wife had died from a fentanyl overdose and he was living on the streets without any income at the time of the attack.

"His life revolved around drugs," the judge told the court.

The court heard he had a criminal record largely for breaking court orders.

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According to the Prince George Citizen, Coghill was charged with sexual assault, aggravated assault, and unlawful confinement after a woman who’d been reported missing was found in Coghill’s trailer in 2011.

Coghill, along with co-accused Teresa Ann Thon, was eventually acquitted after the victim was unable to testify and had spent time in a psychiatric ward.

Separately, Coghill was recently charged and taken into custody for an incident that took place in Lumby in September 2019. Together with co-accused Stewart Wayne Tkachuk he is facing charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault and unlawful confinement.

Justice Guild described Coghill’s remorse as “heartfelt” and that he described the victim as a “friend.”

However, Judge Guild pointed out Coghill had not taken any steps to deal with his violent tendencies.

"His addiction does little to mitigate his high moral culpability," the judge added while handing down the sentence of 16 months in jail.

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