'Savage, heinous' crime of dismembering Calgary mother nets drug dealer 18-month sentence

Joshua Weise hung his head as a Calgary judge detailed his "selfish" and "savage" crime of chopping up Joey English's body and discarding her remainsafter the 25-year-old suffered a fatal overdose.

JudgeMikeDinkel sentenced Weise to 18 months in jail plus a three year period of probation with substance abuse treatment also ordered.

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"Remember this situation and the harm that you've caused,"Dinkelsaid toWeiseas he sat in the prisoner's box.

Stored body under bed

Weise pleaded guilty to a charge of indignity to a human body in November.

According to an agreed statement of facts read out loud in court, Weise and Englishwere doing drugs together at his home in June 2016. Weise left to sell drugs and when he returned, English was dead from an overdose.

WeisestoredEnglish's body under his bed for a day before using a hatchet and knife to dismember her. He placed her remains in garbage bags and a suitcase and discarded themin several locations near his home.

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Dinkel said Weise could have easily called police, insteadhe acted "selfishly" and robbed English's family of their right to grieve and mourn her death.

That decision was described by the judge as "selfish, savage, heinous."

'I still can't bury my daughter in full'

English was reported missing by her family two days before some of her remains were discovered in a wooded area in Crescent Heights last spring.

"Today I still can't bury my daughter in full, but her body was only gifted to her," said Joey's mother Stephanie English outside the courtroom. "Her spirit is at home."

Police also searched a Calgary landfill but did not find any more of English's remains.

"There was no thought to the family of the victim," saidDinkel.

Stephanie English said Dinkel'swords "meant a lot" to her.

'Get help'

Crown prosecutor Ken McCaffrey had proposed a sentence of 18 to 24 months while defence lawyer Rebecca Snukal asked the judge to consider 12 months in jail.

JoshuaWeiseis not accused of killing English, her wounds were determined to have been inflictedafter her death.

At a sentencing hearing last month, Weise who hasa long history of addiction and drug use said he was extremely high when he committed the crime and broke down sobbing as he struggled through an apology.

Stephanie English had a message for those suffering from mental health issues and drug addictions.

"Get help, it's not too late," she said. "Don't forget who you are."

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