An 18-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Matthew James Ayer last October.
Crown attorney Terry Nickerson said yesterday he wants the teen — who was 17 at the time of Ayer’s death — to be sentenced as an adult. According to a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision, it’s the Crown’s responsibility to prove that’s necessary.
“It’s a murder file. There’s some highly aggravating factors, and I think an adult sentence is appropriate,” Nickerson said.
The teen was at Nova Scotia Supreme Court yesterday to set a date for his trial when he entered the unexpected guilty plea. He will be sentenced Dec. 8-11, after a lengthy psychiatric evaluation.