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An emotional Reich said she had remorse over prior comments she made that McLeod deserved it.

“Nobody deserves to die. I did love him,” she said.

With a few of McLeod’s family members in attendance, his younger sister Christina McLeod spoke about the pain of losing her brother before the hearing began

“I’ll struggle for the rest of my life,” she said with tears welling in her eyes. “We all want justice.”

Crown prosecutor Anders Quist made his case for an eight-year sentence, arguing it was a “case of revenge” and not of self-defence as McLeod was already defenceless and unconscious when Reich struck him.

He argued Reich had no desire to take responsibility because she didn’t offer a guilty plea and allowed McLeod to lay helpless for 48 hours before seeking assistance.

But defence lawyer Lindsay Tate argued for a lesser sentence of two to three years, citing unique factors in the case. Reich had previously been charged with only minor offences, co-operated with police in the case and had been assaulted by McLeod previously.

Court heard that Reich became a young mother at age 16 and dropped out of school as a result to raise her child on her own. Tate said that Reich has struggled with alcohol and substance abuse from a young age and has faced adversity throughout her life.

Sanderman agreed in his decision, noting Reich presented herself as a smart and well-spoken individual who would have succeeded if she had opportunities presented to her.

Previously, Reich was found not guilty of a separate charge of failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death.

duscook@postmedia.com

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