Prison sentence for men who pleaded guilty to ‘gratuitous’ and fatal attack in Brantford, Ont.

An attack on a Brantford man was described by the judge as a gratuitous and senseless beating. CTV’s Krista Simpson reports.

Two men have learned their sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of a Brantford man.

Kevin Jellis and Calvin Clarke were both charged with first-degree murder after the 68-year-old died in hospital.

Brantford Police said he was attacked at a Market Street rooming house on Dec. 4, 2022.

Jellis was 35 years old at the time. Clarke was 28.

In court, the Crown said the victim was likely defenseless and in his own room during the two-on-one attack.

The 68-year-old’s head was repeatedly stomped, and a blunt metal object was used to inflict harm. It was so violent, the Crown said, the victim’s nose was ultimately severed.

“The brutality of it was persistent and continuous beating,” court heard.

In December 2025, as the matter was about to go to trial, Jellis and Clarke pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

A sentencing hearing was held in a Hamilton courtroom in February 2026, in which Justice Andrew Goodman noted their pleas carried significant weight, given the challenges in the Crown’s case.

Victim impact statements were presented in court, in which the 68-year-old man was described as a person with a big heart who loved his family, which included numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“Our last memory of our dad is forever tainted with the violence he suffered, leaving us with an overwhelming sense of grief and heartbreak,” his daughter told the court. “The traumatic memory has left a lasting void in our lives, making it hard to heal. Though the pain remains, we hold on to the love and the memories our dad gave us.”

Goodman sentenced Jellis and Clarke to eight years behind bars.

With credit for time already spent in custody, sometimes under lockdowns and triple bunked, Jellis’s net sentence was 28 months and Clarke’s is 27 months, both to be served in federal penitentiary.

“The beating was gratuitous, senseless,” Goodman said as he handed down the sentence.

Both men must also provide DNA samples and are prohibited from owning weapons.

Jellis declined to speak in court when given the opportunity, while Clarke apologized to the victim’s family, saying, in part: “I don’t ever expect to be forgiven, because I don’t deserve it.”