Man sentenced to five years for killing off-duty Abbotsford officer

Alex Willness, the man found guilty of manslaughter in the death of an off-duty Abbotsford police officer has been sentenced to five years in prison, minus time served. 

Willness hit Officer Allan Young over the head three times with a skateboard during an altercation on Baker Street in July 2020. He was found guilty of the offence in June 2023.  

Supreme Court Judge Lindsay Lyster handed out the sentence on Thursday afternoon. Her decision came three weeks after a sentencing hearing where Willness’ defense strongly encouraged a conditional sentence order (CSO) of no more than three and a half years, to be served in the community. 

They also asked Lyster to consider Willness’ ancestry in her decision after the courtroom learned that Willness identifies as 1/6 Cherokee through his great-great-grandmother. 

A pre-sentencing report revealed the accuracy of Willness’ claim of indigenous ancestry. However, she dismissed the defense’s argument that his behavior could be attributed to the loss of his cultural identity because of colonization. 

She stated that, based on his criminal record before the incident, history with alcohol and drug abuse, and his apparent reluctance to accept treatment for his mental health and substance abuse disorders, are not solely the fault of colonization, but rather the decisions Willness has made for himself. 

Lyster said that a CSO would be disproportionate for the crime and wouldn’t respect the law and promote peace in the community. 

She said that the violent actions of Willness on the day of the incident had a ripple effect on the entire community, causing harm not only to Young and his family but also to the witnesses who were involved, first responders, and the community as a whole. 

Lyster agreed with the Crown’s claim that the only way for Willness to receive the proper resources he needs to overcome his struggles and no longer be a threat to himself or society is within a prison. 

She handed him a 5-year sentence, minus time served, equaling 3 years and 10.5 months, along with a lifetime firearms prohibition.