A man convicted of murdering a 13-year-old British Columbia girl stuck his fingers in his ears during a victim impact statement by the girl害羞草研究所檚 father, who said he contemplated suicide after being told of her death.
The family of the girl killed by Ibrahim Ali told the B.C. Supreme Court sentencing hearing of their overwhelming grief, with her father saying he bashed his head against a wall until he was streaming with blood.
Ali received a mandatory life sentence at Friday害羞草研究所檚 hearing, with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The girl害羞草研究所檚 brother had earlier told the hearing that his mother was 害羞草研究所渦tterly destroyed害羞草研究所� by the girl害羞草研究所檚 death, and that he was haunted by his final text messages to her, when he said he was unkind.
None of the relatives can be named because of a publication ban on identifying the victim, who was found dead in Burnaby害羞草研究所檚 Central Park in July 2017.
The father, who delivered a recorded impact statement by video, described how he was in China when he first heard that his daughter was missing, then was found dead.
害羞草研究所淚 felt like a light suddenly went out 害羞草研究所� my mind went black,害羞草研究所� the man said. He said he hid in his bathroom and contemplated suicide, and that he bashed his head on a wall 害羞草研究所渦ntil blood streamed down my face and I couldn害羞草研究所檛 stand.害羞草研究所�
Ali, who attended the hearing by video link, was found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury last December.
He listened to some of the family害羞草研究所檚 statements through an interpreter, but during parts of the father害羞草研究所檚 statement, he hung up a phone to his interpreter and stuck his fingers in his ears.
The brother held his head in his hands during parts of his father害羞草研究所檚 statement.
The father said that the grass on his daughter害羞草研究所檚 grave was dry despite his efforts to water it.
害羞草研究所淭he grass hasn害羞草研究所檛 turned green for seven years,害羞草研究所� he said, before addressing his daughter.
害羞草研究所淵our mom, brother and daddy 害羞草研究所� we all loved you very much and all of us wanted to protect you, but we were not able to do so.害羞草研究所�
The father said there was 害羞草研究所渘o trace of happiness or unhappiness害羞草研究所� in the verdict, describing the trial process as 害羞草研究所渢oo long害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渢oo torturous.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淓ven falling asleep, I would suffer from nightmares. It would make me scream, howling,害羞草研究所� he said.
At the end of the impact statements, Judge Lance Bernard sentenced Ali to a life term without any chance of parole for 25 years, the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder. Ali will get one day credit for each day of the almost six years he害羞草研究所檚 spent in prison, making him eligible for parole in September 2043.
Bernard called the murder horrific and grave.
害羞草研究所淢r Ali, you have been found guilty of first-degree murder and you have heard the profound harm and grief you have caused for raping and murdering (the girl) in Central Park on July 18, 2017,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淢y last words will be then to the friends and family of (the girl). I am so sorry for your unfathomable loss.害羞草研究所�
The girl害羞草研究所檚 brother carried a photo of her to the witness box to deliver his statement earlier Friday.
He said his sister was raped and killed, then 害羞草研究所渕aligned害羞草研究所� during the eight-month trial.
Ali害羞草研究所檚 lawyers had suggested during the trial that the presence of Ali害羞草研究所檚 DNA inside the girl could have been because of consensual sex.
害羞草研究所淪he was the world to my mother and in those few short hours, her world was lying cold and dead,害羞草研究所� he said.
Since the killing, his mother had completely 害羞草研究所渨ithdrawn from herself,害羞草研究所� he told the court.
He described his last text exchanges with his sister.
害羞草研究所�(In) those moments I chose to be cold and curt. Last words have a lot of meaning and my last words to her were dismissive and uncaring,害羞草研究所� he said.
The man said the murder changed his sense of safety and community and he has considered not having children because it害羞草研究所檚 hard to imagine bringing them into a world 害羞草研究所渨hen there are very real monsters out there who would hurt them.害羞草研究所�
A jury took less that 24 hours to find Ali guilty in December.
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