Stephen Wallace Martin, who has a long criminal record with 35 convictions, 17 for violence, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a brutal attack on Robert Ryan in December of 2011. Ryan's body was found after a fire in his home at 374 Mount Pleasant Avenue North. Martin had been staying there after his release from prison.
Mr. Justice Hugh McLellen accepted the joint recommendation from the defense and prosecution.
The court was told Martin had been abusing crack cocaine in the days leading to Ryan's death. He will have to serve half of the sentence before being eligible for parole.
Martin addressed Ryan's family saying he was sorry for what happened but two of the family members then stormed out of the courtroom. Ryan was beaten to death and then set on fire.
The court was told by the defense that Martin had been abused growing up and lost his temper when he woke up and found Ryan touching him inappropriately. Ryan, though, was described in victim impact statements as kind, thoughtful and generous, who helped people out financially and had an aversion to violence.
