NEWMARKET, Ont. — A Toronto man was sentenced to 12 years in jail Wednesday for crushing a police officer to death with a car four years ago.
Nadeem Jiwa, 23, was convicted of manslaughter last year in the August 2007 death of York Regional Police Det. Const. Robert Plunkett.
The 42-year-old father of three died when a stolen car driven by Jiwa pinned him against a tree in Markham, north of Toronto.
“Today is my family’s day to close the door on our judicial system,” Sonja Plunkett, the widow of the dead officer told reporters outside the court. “Our family has been taken on a very long, unimaginable journey, one that no family, let alone a police family, should ever have to endure.”
With time already served, Jiwa will spend four years and two months in prison.
The sentencing comes just one day after another York Region police officer was crushed to death by a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop. Const. Garrett Styles died after being dragged and pinned underneath a minivan police say was driven by a 15-year-old boy. He’s been charged with first-degree murder.
In addition to spending more time in prison, Jiwa is also banned from driving for 10 years.
“I’d like to recognize the justice for seeing the facts quite clearly today and I’m also pleased to see that Nadeem Jiwa has received the sentence that he’s been given,” said York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe.
Plunkett’s widow took the opportunity to remind motorists about the importance of following police officers’ orders.
“When asked to stop, you have to stop,” said Sonja Plunkett. “Had Nadeem Jiwa just listened and shown just a touch of respect, my husband and the father of my three children would still be here today.”