The family of a young man who was beaten and stabbed at a party in their Southlands home last year say they can finally move on with their lives, since their days attending court hearings are over.
On Thursday, three of the four teenage boys charged in connection with the attack on then-21-year-old Zachary Squires were found guilty of assault, though not guilty of the more serious charge of aggravated assault. The fourth boy was acquitted, with Judge James Walsh noting Squires had been unable to identify him as one of his attackers.
A fifth person, 24-year-old Robert Mills, was sentenced in July to three years in jail after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and weapons charges. Mills admitted using brass knuckles to beat Squires, but there’s nothing to suggest he stabbed him.
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Squires received several stab wounds in the attack, which happened after he tried to break up a party that a younger family member had been hosting at the family’s home. Mills and the four boys had crashed the party, the court heard.
According to the province’s chief medical examiner, Squires lost three litres of blood and could have died. A bloody knife with his DNA on it was found outside the home.
Someone at the party had recorded the attack on video, which was played multiple times during the trials and showed Squires being attacked by a group of people.
“Obviously, someone had more than a fist,” Squires’ mother, Michelle Bailey, told The Telegram after the court hearing. “I’m really disappointed that nobody was found to have caused him any bodily harm. I’m glad that at least three were found guilty of something.”
Bailey said Squires has made a full recovery, though he has plenty of physical scars.
“I’m just glad it’s over,” Bailey said. “We’ve been trying to move on. At least now we can.”
Walsh will sentence the three boys on Dec. 1.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury