Three British men plead guilty in Ontario restaurant death

Three British men have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the 2023 death of a restaurant owner in Owen Sound, Ontario. The guilty pleas were entered in an Ontario court on Friday, bringing a close to a case that began with a dispute over an unpaid bill and led to an international extradition.

Robert Evans Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 44-year-old Sharif Rahman. His father, Robert Busby Evans, 49, and his uncle, Barry Evans, 56, pleaded guilty to being accessories after the fact to an indictable offence. The father and uncle were each sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The incident occurred on the evening of August 17, 2023, outside The Curry House restaurant, which was owned by Rahman. According to an agreed statement of facts presented in court, a dispute arose over an unpaid bill of approximately $150. After other members of his party left without paying, Robert Evans Jr. was confronted by Rahman outside the establishment. During the confrontation, Evans Jr. punched Rahman in the face, causing him to fall backwards and strike his head on the pavement.

Rahman suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed. He was kept on life support for a week before...