Man sentenced after estranged wife of accused Penticton shooter has home vandalized

The son-in-law of a man who was killed in the tragic shooting in Penticton earlier this year was sentenced today for alleged vandalism.

Zachary Charles Steele pleaded guilty to one count of mischief today, and was ordered to serve one year of probation after allegedly vandalizing the home of Kathy Brittain, the estranged wife of John Brittain.

Steele is married to the daughter of Rudi Winter, who lived next door to Kathy Brittain and was one of four people shot by John Brittain on April 15, 2019 in Penticton.

The Court heard that on June 22, 2019, Steele and his wife were outside doing yard work at the Winter home when they saw Kathy Brittain watching them. They then packed up their belongings and went inside.

Later that evening, Kathy Brittain reported to the RCMP that Steele had thrown rocks through two of her windows.

She also told police that planters, lawn ornaments, a mailbox and eavestrough were damaged, and that Steele had shovelled gravel onto her roof.

“There’s no lawful excuse for what he did, but, in the circumstances, I would submit, it’s understandable how he took out his frustrations,” said defence counsel James Pennington.

A suspended sentence of three years’ probation was suggested by Crown counsel, Neil Wiberg, who said that “It would have been a terrorizing situation for the complainant inside her home seeing this happening.”

The judge, Lisa Wyatt, said that although she sympathized with Steele, the “retaliatory behaviour cannot be condoned.”

The conditions of Steele’s probation include having no contact with the complainant and staying at least 500 metres away from her home. He also must pay a $500 restitution for the complainants insurance deductible.

John Brittain is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder in relation to the shooting in April, although non of the allegations have been tested in court yet.

- With files from The Canadian Press