Mark Dobson, the man found guilty for the satanic cult killing of two women in Barrie, has been sentenced to life in prison.
The decision came down Friday morning in a Barrie courtroom, with the judge handed Dobson two life sentences for two counts of first degree murder. The sentence will be served concurrently, meaning Dobson won’t be eligible for parole until May 2, 2037 – exactly 25 years after the crimes were committed.
“I'm pleased with the decision. The fact that he won't be eligible for parole for 25 years is good for me. It gives me 25 years of peace,” says Sonya Hepburn, Mary’s mother.
Dobson was found guilty on Jan. 15 for the murder of Mary Hepburn and Helen Dorrington in May of 2012. At the time, the defence argued that Dobson shouldn’t be found guilty because he suffered from schizophrenia.
"I do regret what happened, I do feel sorry, it's a terrible thing that happened and I will have to live with that the rest of my life," Dobson said in the courtroom. “Mary was everything to me, she was my eternal lover. Helen was like a second mother to me"
The judge also ruled that Dobson won’t be able to own a firearm or weapon for 10 years after his release prison. He will also be required to provide a DNA sample for the data bank.
“I think that in the end, you will find that he will appeal, and we will see where the court of appeal takes it from there,” says defence lawyer Mitch Eisen. “Well these things take some time, and they go slowly, so I would think that by the time it actually hit the court of appeals, should in the end he choose to appeal, that would be a year, two years down the road.”
Dobson will now be transferred to a federal prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.
