A 49-year-old man who pleaded guilty to trafficking in connection with the drug-overdose death of a Collingwood man says he has cleaned up his act and wants to return to his job and reconnect with his kids.
Sam Bowyer, 25, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a Tenth Street home in Collingwood on March 17, 2019.
Shawn Brock, who court heard was raised and living in Collingwood before moving in with his parents in Orillia, was originally charged with manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and trafficking along with a woman two decades his junior.
The woman, Amber Knudsen, earlier pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death and received a two-year sentence.
Defence lawyer Gary Pickard told the court Brock had been addicted to heroin and sought help from an addiction treatment centre from January to June.
“He’s now clean and sober,” Pickard told the court.
The lawyer said Brock spent just 189 days or just under nine-and-a-half months in jail awaiting his time in court and is now seeking a conditional sentence.
The Crown asked for a two-year sentence.
Pointing to his work record and his employer's desire to have him return, Brock told the court: “It shows that I’ve committed myself to that and staying clean.”
He will return to court March 17 for sentencing.
