Stanley Abel Jr. gets 5 years in prison for killing uncle

A man who beat his uncle to death in what the judge called a "brutal and senseless" attackhas been sentenced to five years in prison.

Stanley Abel Jr., 31, wept quietly and told family he loved them as his sentencing concluded Friday in N.W.T. Supreme Court in Yellowknife.

He pleaded guilty in December to manslaughter, admitting he had killedhis unclelast March.

Herman Abel was asleep on a floor in a home in Dettahwhen his nephew attacked him in a drunken rage. Stanley Abel kicked and stomped on him in the mistaken belief his uncle had stolen his bottle of vodka.

Herman Abel was taken to hospital and later died from his injuries.

Lawyers two years apart in sentence demands

The Crown had asked for a six-year sentence, while the defence hadaskedfor four years.

"I do not think a sentence of six years is necessary," Justice LouiseCharbonneau said. "However, four years would not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offence."

Shesaid Stanley Abel would often experience blackouts and end up in police cells through abuse of alcohol in the build-up to the crime. He had been drinking daily for two to three weeks prior to the attack.

However, she said Stanley Abel's guilty plea was a mitigating factor and "his remorse is very clear to me," noting he criedfor most of his sentencing hearing.

"What makes it even harder for everyone involved is that this happened within the same family," she said. "I saw the pain, sadness and devastation on the faces of the people facing me.

• Family caught between anger and reconciliation as Dettah homicide case nears conclusion

'More like brothers,' says judge

"Herman Abel was a gifted musician and a good mechanic who could fix anything," Charbonneau continued. "Stanley Abel was very close to Herman Abel, that also is very clear. They were more like brothers to one another than uncle and nephew.

"Stanley Abel is already living a life sentence of sorts. Whatever sentence I impose, it is not going to be as difficult as living with himself knowing what he has done."

Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre said the sentence was fair.

"This was a case that was very emotional for all the family members involved," he said.

"It was an alcohol-fuelled event. It has had a profound impact on all of the members of the family. It's quite a big family and a very traumatic event. Hopefully, this family can heal, everyone can come back together, and Stanley Abel can get the rehabilitation he needs while he is serving his sentence."

'I'm glad that you guys all showed up'

Stanley Abel spoke at length with more than a dozen family members before being led away following Friday's sentencing. He took time to explain the terms of his sentence to some relatives, expressing hope that he would be allowed to serve his time in a facility near to family.

As he left, he told family: "I'm glad that you guys all showed up. It's hard, it's really hard. I love all of you."

The judge said she would strongly recommend that Stanley Abel be allowed to serve his sentence in the North so as to begin his rehabilitation close to family, but that decision is ultimately outside the court's control and Abel could be sent to a southern facility.

Taking into account time already spent in custody, Abelwill spend the next three years and eight months in custody.