One of two young men who suffered serious knife wounds in Surrey last April says he hopes his attacker spends a long time in jail.
A jury found Anthony LaRose guilty of brutally slashing Chris Hanna and Saul Marshall on Friday.
Hanna, who bears a lengthy scar across his right cheek as well as several on his torso, said he and Marshall weren't necessarily surprised by the verdict because they felt LaRose's defence was weak.
"I really want him to get the maximum," Hanna told The Leader, adding he and Marshall mainly just want to move on with their lives.
LaRose had been on trial in New Westminster Supreme Court for nearly two weeks, facing two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of assault with a weapon, and one count of possessing a weapon.
The jury convicted him on all five counts.
Hanna and Marshall said they were returning from a night out with another friend when they stopped at a gas station near Fraser Highway and 156 Street in the early hours of April 3, 2010. Both were 24 at the time.
They claimed they heard a ruckus outside and had run across the street because they saw a man hit a woman. A fight broke out during which the man, LaRose, pulled a knife on the two unarmed men, slashing Hanna across the face and stabbing him in the gut three times and slashing Marshall's neck before fleeing.
Both Hanna and Marshall suffered massive blood loss and each underwent emergency surgery.
LaRose never denied he stabbed the men, but claimed he did it in self-defence because he was attacked first. He said he ran from the scene because he knew police wouldn't believe him due to his record.
Hanna said it was tough to sit through testimony that insinuated he and his buddy instigated the fight.
"It's been too much," said Hanna.
LaRose's lawyer said in court that the 21-year-old has spent much of his young life in prison. He was released from jail just two weeks before the attack and was on probation.
A date for his sentencing will be set on Thursday (March 10).