Girl, 14, sentenced in Town Centre attack

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This article was published 04/06/2025 (303 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 14-year-old Sioux Valley girl was sentenced to two years of supervised probation after spending more than 70 days in custody for her part in a violent group robbery in Brandon’s Town Centre mall.

The girl pleaded guilty in April to a robbery that took place on March 1. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of theft under $5,000 in separate incidents and two breaches of conditions.

Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup played video of surveillance from The Town Centre in Brandon provincial court on Tuesday. It showed the girl and three co-accused approach a woman and attack her.

The girl threw the first punch before the other three joined in, kicking and punching the victim.

“This is a four-on-one assault, completely unprovoked, in a very public place,” Lonstrup said.

He said the victim was an employee at the mall who was on her way to the bathroom. The pain inflicted on her was physical and psychological, he said.

The victim genuinely thought her ribs were broken, he said, and while a medical assessment didn’t confirm that, she experienced extreme pain, discomfort and lack of mobility.

She had bruises on her face that lasted one to two weeks.

Lonstrup said he wouldn’t suggest that the attack was heavily premeditated, but said the woman overheard a discussion about robbing someone and “she lost that lottery.”

The group took the victim’s phone, which Lonstrup said is not only a valuable item in terms of replacement but also inconvenient since there was material on it that she needed for a university course.

Lonstrup said the attack was well publicized since it took place in such a public space.

“It is a glaring example of what people are afraid of when they avoid the downtown Brandon area. That’s not fair to downtown Brandon,” Lonstrup said.

“Lots of people will stay away from The Town Centre when they can. (The victim) didn’t have that luxury.”

Lonstrup asked the court to consider imposing a nine-month sentence minus the time the youth has already spent in custody, followed by two years of probation. She has spent 71 real days in custody, which is 116 days with enhanced credit.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Janssens pointed out that in the youth justice system, a custodial sentence should only be imposed if there are no other reasonable alternatives or combination of alternatives.

Janssens said the accused has taken responsibility for her actions by entering a guilty plea at an “extremely early” opportunity and has said she regrets her actions.

She said the girl’s age and diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, oppositional defiance disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder impact her moral culpability and affect her decision making.

Additionally, Janssens said the accused has significant Gladue factors, including that her mother has been a missing person for almost a decade.

Janssens said CFS has been involved in her life since she was three years old, and she has had at least six different placements in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, Brandon and Winnipeg.

“She’s been removed from her culture and community and removed from her family,” Janssens said. “Her family is described as being heavily involved in their traditions in Sioux Valley … but (she) has never been involved in these activities and never learned to love her culture.”

Janssens asked the court to consider a sentence of two years’ probation with strict conditions.

When Judge Patrick Sullivan gave the girl a chance to speak, she apologized to the victim, who sat in the gallery.

“I was under the influence of alcohol and intoxicated off of drugs. I usually don’t act out like that and put my hands on people,” she said.

Sullivan spoke directly to the girl when he said, “There is no explanation that can be offered, that can help me understand why this happened.

“I’m hoping the time you spent in custody, that you’re experience in court today, will be a turning point of sorts in your life where you recognize and realize this is not how you want to spend the rest of your life,” he said.

Taking into account the time she has already spent in custody, Sullivan sentenced the girl to a two-year period of supervised probation under the Intensive Support and Supervision Program for all of the charges.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com