The defence for a Sooke man who has admitted to killing his mother says rehabilitation needs to be considered when a sentence is delivered.
The comment was made at a sentencing hearing for 36-year old Michael McCormick, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his mother.
Sixty-four year-old Pamella Dyer was found dead in her Sooke home in 2014. She suffered extensive lacerations and bruising, but the cause of death was ruled to be a blunt force injury to the chest that restricted her ability to breathe. The crown describes the case as an extremely violent and brutal beating, and requested a 12-to-15 year sentence.
McCormick was addicted to crystal meth at the time, and told investigators he can't recall much because he was in a drug-induced psychosis. The defence argues rehabilitation should be factored in, and has asked the court for a 7-to-10 year sentence. The defence says McCormick has abandonment issues and now has to deal with killing the one person who never would have abandoned him.
The hearing concludes this week, but a sentencing decision will be delivered at a later time.