Moncton man gets 8 years for killing fellow inmate at Shediac jail

Twenty-one-year old Michael Fallon was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for manslaughter in the death of 33-year-old Michael Matchett at the Shediac jail last year.

Fallon was also sentenced to 11 months for assaulting a police officer, which must be served consecutively. He'll be credited for time served.

Provincial court Judge William McCarroll said Fallon carried out an "unprovoked, vicious attack" on 33 year old Michael Matchett.

Crown prosecutor Annie St. Jacques went over the facts of the case in court in Moncton

Happened in common area

On Oct. 26, 2018, at about 8:50 p.m., Fallon and Matchett, of Miramichi, were in a common area in Unit 1 of the Shediac Jail, St. Jacques said.

Fallon punched Matchett in the face, then pushed him to the ground and punched him again.

The incident was captured on the correctional centre's security video and was shown in the courtroom during sentencing.

Correctional officers took Fallon to another area, and he was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault and given the right to contact a lawyer.

Matchett, meanwhile, had lost consciousness after suffering a serious injury to the back of his head during the attack.

He was rushed to the Moncton Hospital.

Matchettnever regained consciousness and died Nov. 3, 2018. An autopsy was performed, and the cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head.

On Nov. 7, 2018, RCMP Const. Craig Owen went to the Shediac jail to arrest Fallon on a charge of second-degree murder.

Head-butted Mountie

While Owen and another officer were taking a statement, Fallon became aggressive and was taken to another room to calm down.

During transport, Fallon struck Owen's face with his head.Owen suffered a broken nose.

The court was also shown video of the incident captured by the correctional centre's security video.

Defence lawyer Lisanne Maurice told the courtFallon had a difficult upbringing, has a Grade 9 education and struggled with addiction but is hoping to learn a trade in prison.

'Stupid, foolish thing'

His other lawyer, Martin Goguen, said Fallon's assault on the police officerwas "a stupid, foolish thing."

Fallon pleaded guilty in August to manslaughter.

The eight-year sentence for manslaughter was a joint recommendation by the Crown and the defence. The Crown was asking for 18 to 24 months for assaulting the police officer, while the defence asked for a sixmonths.

Before handing down his decision, McCarroll asked Fallon if he had anything to say.

"I'm very sorry for what I did and I wish it would have been me instead of him." Fallon said.

The judge told Fallon he needs to work on his anger.

McCarroll said that nothing indicated there was any provocation for Fallon's attack, and that Matchett appeared to have been "sucker punched."

The judge thanked Matchett's grandmother, Edith Matchett, for submitting a victim impact statement to the court.

She and her husband, Wayne, raised Michael, and outside the courthouse, she said she wasdisappointed by the sentence.

"I'm not vindictive I'm hurt," Matchett said. "Nothing is going to bring Michael back. He is being punished, yes, but I think he should have had a longer sentence."

Wayne Matchett said Michael was struggling to find his way in life but was making progress.

He saidnothing prepared him for the early-morningcall he got after Michael was attacked.

"We always expect that, from our experience, that when you're in jail, you're in a safe place," Matchett said. "So that was pretty hard to accept that this happened to him."