William McDonald, convicted of setting a pimp on fire in a dramatic downtown London explosion, didn’t really know what else to say to the judge.”I’m really just throwing myself before the mercy of the court,” he said to Superior Court Justice Kelly Gorman at his sentencing hearing Monday.

“I know what I did was wrong and I’m sorry that I did it.”

There wasn’t much more he could say about how he ended up in criminal court. The judge, the Crown and the defence all agreed the circumstances that led to McDonald’s conviction for arson and aggravated assault were, as defence lawyer Ron Ellis put it, “unique and bizarre.”

That makes sentencing the 33-year-old London man, convicted in October after a trial that included details of rough sex, an angry pimp, a plastic water bottle filled with gasoline and a shocking car explosion, more of a challenging exercise.

“It’s difficult to find cases similar to this,” Ellis said.

“I would hope so,” Gorman replied.

Gorman was asked to consider a sentence as low as a suspended sentence and probation, as suggested by Ellis, to 18 to 24 months in jail, as argued by assistant Crown attorney Adam Campbell.

Gorman also must consider how long it took the case to get to trial because of court shutdowns and delays caused by the pandemic.

After a trial, McDonald was found guilty of arson and aggravated assault for the Jan. 17, 2018, explosion and fire on Dundas Street just east of Wellington Street that injured both McDonald and Sean (Soprano) Leadston, 48.

McDonald started his trial last spring by pleading guilty to obtaining sexual services plus charges of breach of bail conditions in Alberta.

Gorman acquitted him of sexual assault and choking in connection with the rendezvous he had with one of Leadston’s sex-trade workers the night before the car explosion. It’s what happened with the sex trade worker that set off McDonald’s chain of unfortunate decisions.

He had made arrangements to meet her in a hotel room for some kinky, violent sex. At the hotel room, McDonald smoked some crystal meth and the sex worker was binging on cocaine. They engaged in rough sex and the woman, who gave remarkable testimony during the trial, described pain and bleeding, as well as choking that left her bruised and unable to talk.

McDonald testified he believed the sex was consensual and he never intended to hurt her. He stopped when there was blood and “the mood was killed” when he tried again.

The woman told Leadston about the encounter and Leadston and another man grabbed the much smaller McDonald by the throat ad took his backpack. Leadston told McDonald he wanted $350 by the next day or there would be consequences.

McDonald arranged to meet the Leadston and took a plastic bottle filled with gasoline, a knife and torch lighter with him with the plan to scare Leadston.

They met and hopped into Leadston’s car. McDonald doused Leadston with the gas and pulled out the lighter. Leadston jumped on McDonald and started punching him. McDonald testified Leadston’s weight pressed the torch lighter’s button, igniting the gas vapours.

McDonald and Leadston escaped the burning car suffering from burns. The torch lighter wasn’t recovered.

“That’s what’s so shocking, that someone thought this was a good idea,” Campbell said.

Gorman will return with a sentencing decision on April 20.

Source: London Free Press