Kenneth Jacob Fenton, convicted in 2017 for a variety of impaired driving charges in the Langford death of West Shore RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett, has had a tighter condition placed on his movements.
Fenton’s combined five-and-a-half year sentence in the death of Beckett, and a subsequent impaired driving-related crash near the Malahat a month later, is due to end in about 15 months. That schedule remains in place, but the Parole Board of Canada ruled Oct. 26 that he move back into a community residential facility for the remainder of his sentence and observe a 9 p.m. curfew.
“Overnight leave privileges are not authorized because you need to demonstrate stability and prolonged sobriety in the community given the nature of the risk you present,” reads a report outlining the board’s decision.
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The decision stated that Fenton, who had been living in his own apartment since March, has been mostly compliant in engaging with his correctional plan since he was sentenced, attending AA meetings, doing well on previous day parole and showing motivation to make changes in his life.
However, a September series of events that included his sharing a marijuana joint – he has a medical marijuana prescription – that he believed to be laced with cocaine, then hiding that fact from parole officers until a urinalysis test determined the truth, was a factor prompting his case management team to voice concern over the potential for harm should he use drugs, drink alcohol and drive. Overall, the report noted it showed a need for improvement in the areas of substance abuse and attitude.
“The risk that you pose to the public should you return to alcohol or drug use is significant, and while you have generally done well in the community, at this stage of your release the board finds that public protection requires a higher level of supervision and monitoring than can be provided by you living at your own residence.”
Fenton, who remains prohibited from driving during his sentence under the terms of his parole, chose not to provide written comments to the board, which noted in the report he himself suggested that he return to a community residential facility.
Fenton was granted limited day parole from prison in January 2019 to attend a residential substance abuse treatment program, and full day parole in August of that year, when he was transferred to a community facility.
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