Hamilton, Ont. paramedics who treated fatally wounded teen receive 18 months' conditional sentence

Two Hamilton paramedics who treated a fatally wounded teen as though he had suffered a minor injury will serve an 18-month sentence in the community.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Harrison Arrell handed out his sentence today in the case of Christopher Marchant and Steven Snively, who were found guilty last year of failing to provide the necessaries of life to Yosif Al-Hasnawi.

Prosecutors alleged that the pair approached Al-Hasnawi on the night of Dec. 2, 2017 with the "preconceived notion" he had only a superficial injury from a BB or pellet gun.

But the 19-year-old had in fact been shot with a handgun, and died in hospital about an hour later.

In his ruling today, Arrell says that while the paramedics' moral blameworthiness is "significant" because they did not follow their training, the pair did not cause Yosif's injuries or intend to treat him negligently.

Marchant and Snively must spend the first six months of their sentence at home except for medical care and other approved appointments, and will have a curfew for the remaining 12 months.

They must also perform 150 hours of community service in the last year of their sentence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 18, 2022.