A violent schizophrenic who groundlessly attacked three passers-by on the streets of Montreal days after being released from hospital has been sentenced to four years behind bars, a judge ruled, emphasizing the importance of protecting the public.
“The present case is one of those cases where the mental state of the defendant makes him an increased danger, which requires prolonged isolation to ensure public protection,” commented judge Dennis Galiatsatos, before recently hearing Christian Tshibaka Kalenga in the Montreal Convicted Courthouse.
Target teenagers
Kalenga, a 39-year-old man with mental health issues, is known for his sometimes violent crimes, for which he has not been criminally charged in the past.
His last discharge from hospital was five days before his series of attacks, including one with an iron bar on a teenager.
Instead of taking his medication, Kalenga instead took methamphetamines. He then went after two sisters on the subway and hit one of them on the back of the head. Then, an hour later, he attacked a random teenager on the street.
“I will kill you,” Kalenga told him, punching the boy in the face.
“Alarming”
The teenager, who miraculously escaped without serious consequences, managed to escape. Kalenga was arrested a week later in connection with another incident but was recognized by police.
“Although he suffered from a legitimate psychiatric illness that undoubtedly contributed to his loss of control, the defendant had long been aware that methamphetamine use had the effect of aggravating or even inducing psychotic episodes related to his mental illness.” the judge.
And it was precisely because of his problems, coupled with his irresponsibility, that the judge handed down the sentence proposed by the Crown.
“It’s hard to imagine more repulsive and alarming behavior than attacking people on the subway and hitting an innocent victim on the head with an iron bar,” Justice Galiatsatos said.
The judge therefore imposed a harsh sentence, pointing out that “safety on subways and buses is non-negotiable in a peaceful and orderly society”.
Had the Crown not required 4 years, the penalty would have been greater, he added.
Kalenga also hoped to serve a prison sentence to get the care he needs.
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?