Three U.K. men plead guilty in manslaughter of Owen Sound restaurant owner

Three British men pleaded guilty Friday in the 2023 death of Ontario restaurant owner Sharif Rahman, killed after a dispute over an unpaid bill.

Three U.K. family members convicted in death of Owen Sound's Sharif Rahman

Three men from the United Kingdom pleaded guilty Friday in an Owen Sound court in connection with the death of Ontario restaurant owner Sharif Rahman, Global News Crime reports. Rahman, 44, died in hospital in August 2023 after being assaulted outside his Owen Sound restaurant following a dispute over an unpaid bill.

Robert Evans was convicted of manslaughter. His father, Robert Busby Evans, and his uncle, Barry Evans, each pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to an indictable offence. All three are members of the same family.

According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, the men entered Canada on U.K. passports in 2023. On the night of Aug. 17, the younger Robert Evans was among a group of customers at The Curry House restaurant when a dispute broke out with Rahman over an unpaid bill. Rahman confronted the group outside, and Evans punched him in the face. Rahman fell and struck his head on the sidewalk, suffering a skull fracture and brain bleed. He died one week later at a hospital in London, Ont.

Following the assault, Barry Evans drove his nephew away from the scene, and Robert Busby Evans later purchased a plane ticket to return his son to the U.K. All three were subsequently arrested in Scotland and extradited to Canada in December of last year.

Addressing the court, the 25-year-old Robert Evans apologized directly to Rahman's family and the Owen Sound community.

"This never should have happened. I didn't mean for him to die," he said. "There were so many things I could have done differently that day. I think about it every night and I'm sickened by the damage I've caused. I pray for Mr. Rahman's family every day."

Robert Evans is scheduled to be sentenced for manslaughter in July. His father and uncle received a joint submission sentence of 21 months, factoring in time already served. Justice Christopher Chorney accepted the proposed sentence Friday.

"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," Chorney said ahead of sentencing. "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."

Chorney also acknowledged the broader impact of the case on Rahman's family and the community. "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," he said.

The two men will remain in custody pending further legal proceedings related to their status in Canada.

Source: Global News Crime