Lionbackers.com

Who knows why such a vicious attack would take place?

The accused may have been dealing with issues of his own sexual identity.

A tragedy for the Dowrey family. No matter the legal outcome, Ritch will not get his life back.

We were at the courthouse this morning for the verdict, however it has been pushed back another day.

Wednesday at 9:30 AM at the Provincial courthouse on Main and Cordova, room 513

For anyone wanting to show support for Ritch.

CKNW Local News

Woodward guilty
VANCOUVER/CKNW AM 980
Nafeesa Karim | Email news tips to Nafeesa
8/11/2010

The man accused of sucker-punching a gay man at a Davie Street pub has been found guilty of aggravated assault.

Provincial court Judge Jocelyn Palmer took over an hour to deliver her verdict against 37 year old Shawn Woodward.

Woodward was charged after an attack on 62 year old Ritchie Dowrey at the Fountainhead Pub in March 2009.

The victim has permanent brain damage.

The courtroom was packed with friends and family of the victim.

At least 30 people had to stand in the back.

Woodward tried to claim Dowrey tried to touch his crotch before the punch was thrown, but the judge says Woodward created that story to justify the outrageous assault.

We were there, the judge called him a liar and chastised his attorney for his conduct.

Very bittersweet. Glad that justice prevailed, but heartbroken for Ritch and his family. Hopefully they can begin to move forward.

When will sentencing happen?

October 22

Sentencing in this case has been pushed to Nov. 8th

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Activis ... story.html

Shawn Woodward gets 6 years.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... shing.html

A Vancouver judge has sentenced a construction worker to six years in prison for sucker-punching a gay man in a West End pub last year, causing serious brain damage. The judge ruled that hate was an aggravating factor in the crime.

At last month's sentencing hearing, Shawn Woodward's lawyer asked for a sentence of two years, telling the court his client does not hate gay people and overreacted in an effort to prove his manliness.

But prosecutors argued that Woodward's blind-side punch should be considered a hate crime, and asked for a sentence of at least seven years in prison for the aggravated assault conviction.

During the trial in August, Woodward, 37, admitted punching Richard Dowrey, 62, in the Fountainhead Pub on Davie Street in March 2009. Woodward maintained Dowrey was making unwanted sexual advances toward him at the bar and argued the punch was thrown in self-defence.

Dowrey was knocked to the concrete floor by the punch and suffered a brain injury that has left him unable to feed or dress himself since.

Patrons at the pub, which is in the heart of Vancouver's gay district, chased Woodward and held him for police. At the trial, they testified he used homophobic slurs after the attack and claimed Dowrey had offered him a drink and touched him.

The judge found Woodward guilty after ruling that his testimony was not credible and that there was no sexual assault.

Thinking of you Ritch

6 years and he'll serve what 2 years .. 3?, he's not really a high risk offender so probably serve his time in a min security prison with a golf course. The bottom line is Ritch's life will never be the same and this guy could do life in a maximum security prison and there would still be no justice in a case like this.

Hopefully enough publicity has been generated to prevent this from happening to someone else.