Sentencing of man who killed Ukrainian newcomer delayed for psych report

The sentencing hearing for a Winnipeg man convicted in the unprovoked stabbing death of a Ukrainian newcomer has been delayed so a judge can hear whether his cognitive deficits justify a federal prison sentence or time in a provincial jail.

Ethan Gladu was found guilty last February of manslaughter in the December 2023 killing of Ivan Rubanik, a 46-year-old father of two.

Court was told Friday that Gladu has been held in a specialized jail unit in advance of his sentencing after corrections officers identified him as “vulnerable.”

Defence lawyer Tara Waker asked Court of King’s Bench Justice Ken Champagne to adjourn sentencing to allow time for Gladu to undergo a psychiatric assessment next month and for a report to be prepared for court.

“I’m well aware that (Crown prosecutors) are going to ask for a sentence that puts him in a federal institution,” Walker said. “That report is going to be critical in terms of placement and where Mr. Gladu will be housed… what his vulnerabilities are and the risks.”

Crown attorney Lee Turner opposed the adjournment, arguing the court has a report that concludes Gladu did not meet the criteria for a finding he was not criminally responsible for the killing.

Walker said that report did not examine in detail the broader issue of Gladu’s mental deficits. Walker said she requested the report after it appeared Gladu didn’t understand their conversations.

“That assessment touches briefly on some cognitive issues (but) it is specifically an NCR assessment,” she said. “It’s different factors that were being considered.”

Champagne, who agreed to adjourn the hearing to Aug. 20, said a probation officer who wrote a pre-sentence report for court appeared hobbled by a lack of important background information, particularly relating to Gladu’s early education.

“When I looked at the (report), … what is shocking to me is the enormous gap he fell through, the crack in the school division not having any information on Mr. Gladu, who left school at Grade 6… only to reattend four years later and still not learn anything,” Champagne said.

“The probation officer, to her credit, in her report, went through really progressive and aggressive steps to try to get that type of information on his learning deficits and it’s not there,” Champagne said. “I sense a real feeling of frustration from the probation officer from the system, the social safety net we are working with where children… are not being in school and not being followed up with.”

Rubanik was stabbed shortly before 8 a.m. as he walked to work near Talbot Avenue and Watt Street.

Security video gathered from city transit buses and multiple residences captured Gladu’s movements before, during and after the killing.

Security video showed Gladu, then 19, getting off a bus and walking toward Rubanik, who, after a brief interaction with Gladu, continued walking south along Talbot Avenue as Gladu trailed behind him.

Gladu quickly caught up to Rubanik and, after walking side-by-side for a few seconds, suddenly stabbed him in the right shoulder.

Rubanik ran across the street and down the sidewalk a short distance before falling to his knees and collapsing. A 12-centimetre-deep stab wound had severed a major artery and vein and punctured Rubanik’s lung.

Gladu ran across Talbot Street to an apartment building where he went to two suites and interacted with several people. He left two hours later and made his way to the Salvation Army shelter on Henry Avenue. When police arrested him at the shelter the following day, he was wearing the same jacket he had on when he stabbed Rubanik.

Transit security video recorded minutes prior to the stabbing captured Gladu threatening to stab a passenger and a bus driver before being ordered off the bus.

“The video depicts an agitated, erratic individual,” Champagne said when convicting Gladu of manslaughter on Feb. 20.

Gladu stood trial for second-degree murder, but was convicted of the lesser offence after Champagne said he was not satisfied Gladu intended to kill Rubanik.

Champagne said there was no evidence Gladu stabbed Rubanik with great force.

“The stabbing took place in a split second or less and it is impossible to see the movement of the accused’s arm,” Champagne said, noting the impact of the stab did not cause Rubanik to stumble or lose his balance.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca