Three British men have admitted killing a restaurant owner in Canada after an alleged row over an unpaid bill. Father-of-one Sharif Rahman, 44, died after a physical altercation with a British family in Owen Sound after he reportedly confronted three men over an unpaid bill on August 17, 2023.
Rahman was the owner of The Curry House restaurant and died a week after the incident allegedly happened in the street outside his restaurant, in a dispute with the three British men over a £79 ($150) bill for a meal.
Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
Robert Evans Jr, 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and his dad Robert Busby Evans, 49, and uncle Barry Evans, 56, pleaded guilty to being accessories to the crime. Evans Jr reportedly punched the restaurant owner in the face, which led to the man falling on the pavement and hitting his head, according to CBC. He suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed and was kept on life support for a week but sadly died in hospital.
British dad Robert Busby Evans and uncle Barry Evans were sentenced to time served plus one day. The two men are reportedly being processed to be handed over to Canadian border authorities and sent back to the UK.
Awaiting Sentencing
Evans Jr has not been sentenced yet but a submission for a three and a half year sentence has been put forward to the judge, by defence lawyers and authorities. The judge is expected to return his verdict on July 10.
These men, believed to be from Manchester, are believed to have been in Canada at the time of the death on tourist visas and flew back to the UK not long after the incident. Evans Jr and his dad were arrested in Edinburgh by Police Scotland and the uncle was detained in Dalkeith, outside of Scottish capital. They were extradited to Canada from Scotland last year to stand trial, after giving their consent to do so, according to the BBC.
Judge's Remarks
Ahead of the sentencing, according to Global News, Justice Christopher Chorney said: "The assistance Barry Evans and Robert Evans Sr. gave to their nephew and son, respectively, to escape from the immediate area and then the country is very serious. The fact that they so swiftly left the country reinforces my belief that they were well aware of how serious the offence was even though the victim died a week later."
The judge added: "The resolution of this case provides certainty and finality to all those involved in the community and avoids further anguish to the victim's family as a result of the ongoing legal proceedings."
