Motorist who killed 11-year-old Jude Strickland sentenced to four years in prison

The judge's voice was soft and quiet in delivering a sentence to the one who killed 11-year-old Jude Strickland proportionate to the gravity of the offence," even as the boy's family sitting stoically in court knew nothing in this world could be proportionate.

And then Justice Marjoh Agro sentenced Brandon Aubert to four years in prison.

Aubert was 29 on Dec. 1, 2020, when he raced his pickup truck through a red light at Upper Gage Avenue and Royal Vista Drive on the east Mountain, and past a school crossing guard holding a stop sign, hitting Jude, who was walking home from Templemead Elementary School.

Aubert had been driving 69 kilometres per hour in a 50 km/h zone before impact. He called 911 after the collision.

Jude died two days later in hospital.

Assistant Crown attorney Brett Moodie had requested a sentence of between four to four and a half years, while Aubert's lawyer suggested two and a half years.

Aubert had plead guilty to possession of a controlled substance - fentanyl - and dangerous driving causing death. There was no evidence that he had been impaired while driving, said the judge, who cited denunciation" and deterrence" as factors in the sentence.

There is far too much carnage on our roads," she said in court. And too often the victims are children, our most precious and vulnerable assets."

She also prohibited Aubert from driving for eight years.

The case had previously been heard virtually; Tuesday was the first time that Jude's parents, Jamie and Vanessa Strickland, had been in the same room with Aubert, who cried during the proceeding, before he was led away into custody.

Outside court, Jamie, who is a pastor at West Highland Church, said he was grateful the sentence was at the upper range of what the Crown requested.

It probably would have hurt more if the sentence had been at the lower end. We know it is not meant to place a value on Jude's life, but sometimes it's difficult for us to separate those things ... Life is difficult daily without Jude, and whatever happens today doesn't bring him back."

Vanessa said they try not to dwell on the journey ahead.

If you think too far down the road, the weight of loss is too much," she said. So we do one day at a time, and trust that God has carried us this far and will continue to walk with us and give us strength to continue on."

The judge cited the pain expressed by family and friends in victim impact statements read in court as a factor in the sentence. One of the statements was from a young girl, who said Jude was her best friend for seven years.

The girl, said the judge, is distressed that she can no longer remember the sound of Jude's voice."

When asked if the tragedy has challenged their faith, Jamie said, on the contrary, he can't imagine enduring what they have without it.

Faith has given them meaning and purpose within loss and grief," he said, and they are carried by a God who knows all things that come our way, and walks with us through those things."

From now on, he said, they want to live honouring their son, trying to carry on in the spirit of grace, love and caring he showed while alive.

They named their son after a book in the Bible. It is one of the shortest in scripture.

It talks about being willing to contend for the faith and stand up for what you know is right," said Vanessa. The name means to give praise.'"

And he loved the song Hey Jude,'" added Jamie, smiling gently. Or at least, he came to love it."

Jon Wells is a feature writer at The Spectator. jwells@thespec.com