Canwood double stabbing results in five-year prison sentence

A man who attacked and stabbed a father and son outside the Canwood hotel bar has received a five-year prison sentence.

With remand credit, 34-year-old Roger Herman has about three years and eight months left to serve.

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Wednesday afternoon’s hearing at Prince Albert Provincial Court came almost five months after Herman entered guilty pleas to aggravated assault, assault with a weapon causing bodily harm and mischief to property under $5,000.

The case dates back to the late evening hours of Feb. 9, when the two victims and a woman were sitting in the bar, minding their own business.

Herman entered the bar, sat down with them and had a drink before leaving.

“Roger asked to use their cell phone, saying he was from La Loche, and was looking for a ride home,” Judge McAuley read. “He told them he was in jail for 20 years. 
He then said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.’”

On surveillance footage, Herman was seen leaving the bar and taking a steak knife from another table. He was then seen outside the bar, trying to get into a silver vehicle.

The father then went outside and confronted Herman before going back into the bar and asking for assistance, saying someone was trying to steal his car.

The father and son then went back outside and told Herman to get away from their vehicle.

“Roger had a knife, and he stabbed (the older man) six times… one of them was in the back. (He) was bleeding profusely,” McAuley said.

In an attempt to defend his father, the younger man drew a pocket knife and swung it at Herman, but missed. Herman backed off momentarily before assaulting the son, “stabbing him in the shoulder, breaking the knife in the process.”

Both victims were transported to hospital.

The father, who incurred the more serious of the injuries, suffered a life-altering stroke soon after and to this day continues to endure surgeries. The son’s injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Herman was arrested soon after. He initially charged with attempted murder. That charge was downgraded to aggravated assault.

Defence lawyer Peter Abrametz said Herman was highly intoxicated and has no memory of the incident, but feels deep remorse.

“That remorse does not take away the permanent injuries,” McAuley stated, adding that the father’s livelihood is now gone.