Home invasion sentencing

January 15th 2016 on Eastbourne ave., 5 young men, two of them minors, broke in to 17 year old Devin Howard’s mom’s house. Devin was shot in the arm and in the leg. Today his family feels slightly relieved after one of the attackers believed to be the gunman was found guilty.

It all started when Devin’s friends came over and told him someone was coming to rob him.

“He then locked the door and then those acquaintances then unlocked the door and let the four masked individuals come in. They robbed a few items and shot my son twice with a shot gun.”

Devin’s mother Nicole, who wasn’t home at the time, says they took two video game consoles and a Mac laptop but left her son bleeding on the floor. His left arm is now held together with a metal rod after being shot, he can barely move his fingers. Devin was also shot in the leg, he had to relearn how to walk and how to tie his shoes.

The crime has taken an emotional toll on the family. Shortly after the crime they moved out of their Eastbourne ave home in Hamilton out of fear.

The shooter, Vavadean Spence was found guilty of aggravated assault, robbery and break and enter. He will be sentenced in August. The mastermind behind the plan is a minor so we are not allowed to disclose his name, but the young man was a friend of Devin’s. The minor admitted to plotting the home invasion but his defence attorney says he had no idea a weapon was going to be involved.

The defence argued the boy, who is now 17, showed remorse by staying at the scene that night and calling 911. The Judge, Anthony Leitch stated that if the young man truly felt sorry he would have turned himself in right away. His sentencing decision will be on Thursday.

Three others have plead guilty to this crime, a minor was sentenced to 6 months in jail, other sentencing dates will take place over the course of the summer.