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Two youths avoided trial on attempted murder charges and landed open custody sentences after the complainant and other witnesses failed to show up in court in relation to a severe gang-related beating.

The two males, both 17, were to stand trial at Regina Youth Court this week on attempted murder and other charges, but instead pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, both as parties to the offence.

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Crown prosecutor David Belanger told the court he’d planned to call 14 witnesses, eight of whom were civilians. Of those eight, only two attended court as ordered by subpoena (neither of whom was the complainant), and Belanger said even they were “not enthusiastic to explain to the court what happened that night.”

According to the details Belanger presented for sentencing purposes, the youths — neither of whom can be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act — were among a group of five males who, on July 6, chased another male down the street and badly beat him. The reason, Belanger said, was that the complainant was “not part of the Native Syndicate anymore and had allegiance to another gang.”