A former Chilliwack man who punched an 85-year-old Abbotsford man in the face several times in an unprovoked attack in 2019 has been sentenced to time served and two years’ probation.
Brandon Janveaux, 20, was sentenced Thursday (Feb. 11) in Abbotsford provincial court after previously pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm.
He was given 150 days’ credit for the 100 days he had already served in custody following the assault.
Janveaux was also ordered to pay more than $1,400 to the victim for the cost of fixing his dentures, which were broken during the attack, and was granted permission to write a letter of apology to him.
Crown lawyer Amy Reed told the court that the victim was walking home from church on Nov. 24, 2019 in the area of 33555 South Fraser Way in Abbotsford when he was approached by Janveaux, who asked him something he couldn’t understand.
RELATED: Chilliwack man charged after violent assault of senior, 85, in Abbotsford
The victim headed in the opposite direction and was then struck in the head.
“He says, ‘I don’t know there the hit came from. I just felt it’ … He said he was dizzy when he was on the ground and doesn’t remember much more than that initial hit,” Reed said.
She said a witness who was leaving a restaurant noticed a younger man and older man standing across the street about 20 feet apart. The witness said the young man ran towards the victim and punched him in the face “at least three or four times,” knocking him to the ground.
Reed said Janveaux then ran into the street and was hit by a vehicle. But he kept going, jumped over a fence and tumbled into a ravine, where he was arrested by police.
Reed described the victim as a “stoic” man who has indicated that he does not hold a grudge against Janveaux, but the assault had a “significant impact” on him, including the cost of repairing his dentures.
Defence lawyer Jayse Reveley said Janveaux has no explanation for the attack, other than he had been consuming alcohol and drugs, including Xanax, prior to the assault.
“What he does say … is that he has no recollection of what happened. He states that he was essentially drinking with a friend of his and they were doing some substances. And then he believes his friend … spiked the drink that Mr. Janveaux was drinking with a different kind of opiate,” Reveley said.
He said Janveaux takes responsibility for being intoxicated and attacking the victim, and has experienced “substantial depression” over his actions.
Reveley said numerous family and friends have indicated that the assault was “out of character” for Janveaux.
Since being released from custody, Janveaux has been under strict conditions, including a curfew and abstaining from intoxicants, which he has not broken, Reveley said.
Janveaux told the court that said he was “not at a good point” in his life at the time of the attack, but he has been focused on moving forward and maintaining full-time work. He has been living with his mom in Edmonton since the end of January.
The judge agreed with the joint submission from the lawyers that Janveaux should be sentenced to time served, saying he has taken positive steps since the assault. This includes 300 hours of volunteer community service work at a seniors’ facility, the judge said.
Janveaux was previously convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation related to an incident in Chilliwack in September 2018. At that time, he was pulled over for speeding and was found with a .22-calibre rifle down his pants.
RELATED: Teen accused in Abbotsford attack on 85-year-old convicted of firearms offence
vhopes@abbynews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
