Kenneth Jacob Fenton has been sentenced fours in prison for the crash that killed Cst. Sarah Beckett.
Upon his release, he will also face a five-year driving prohibition.
Fenton, 29, pleaded guilty in May to impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death.
He originally faced a total of five charges stemming from the fatal crash, but three of those charges were stayed.
Beckett was killed when Fenton’s truck slammed into her police cruiser on April 5, 2016, at the intersection of Peatt Road and Goldstream Avenue in Langford.
A Family Torn Apart
The 11-year RCMP veteran was a wife and mother of two. She had only recently returned from maternity leave before her death.
The night of the crash, Fenton had been drinking, distraught over the recent suicide of a friend. Samples taken after the crash showed he had more than 3.5 times the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
Fenton told the court at his sentencing hearing that he was sorry for his actions and that he would take the officer’s place if he could.
Beckett’s husband told the court the hardest thing after his wife’s death was telling their six-year-old son that mom wasn’t coming home.
Reactions to the Sentencing:
Re: Fenton decision, I don't know if there is a number out there that would have made the #yyj community feel like justice was served…cont
— Joel Tansey (@JoelTanseyJT) July 14, 2017
Cont: let alone friends and family of Const. Sarah Beckett. #yyj
— Joel Tansey (@joelgazette) July 14, 2017
Not a surprising result given what both sides were asking for. The debate on whether justice was served is an entirely different matter. https://t.co/ZT1Sna4adT
— Joel Tansey (@joelgazette) July 14, 2017
Impaired driving has lifelong devastating consequences. #enoughsaid
— West Shore RCMP (@WestshoreRCMP) July 14, 2017
Beckett family hands Crown counsel an award for failing #yyjnews
— Goldstream News (@GoldstreamNews) July 14, 2017
Judge notes no sentence will bring @WestshoreRCMP Mountie Sarah Beckett back, but must be strong enough to deter others. #yyj
— Megan Thomas (@meganTcbc) July 14, 2017
Video of Fenton before sentencing:
Kenneth Fenton has arrived at court in Colwood for his sentence for crash that killed Const. Sarah Beckett. #yyj pic.twitter.com/d2Un2vNwNa
— Megan Thomas (@meganTcbc) July 14, 2017
