The British Columbia Court of Appeal has overturned a bail decision, ordering an elderly man convicted of a brutal murder to be returned to prison immediately. The court ruled that allowing Adrianus Johannes Rosbergen, 82, to remain free on bail would severely damage public trust in the justice system.
Court Cites Public Interest in Swift Justice
In a decision released on December 16, Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon detailed the reasons for revoking bail. The court found the merits of Rosbergen's appeal to be weak, weighed against the seriousness of the second-degree murder offence and his high level of moral culpability. The panel concluded there is a strong public interest in seeing his life sentence imposed without further delay.
The court set aside the earlier bail order, resulting in Rosbergen's return to custody to begin serving his sentence of life imprisonment with no parole eligibility for 12 years.
A Dispute Over $1,080 Led to a Fatal Confrontation
The case stems from the December 2024 jury conviction of Rosbergen for the murder of Allen Skedden. The court heard that the two men were embroiled in a civil dispute over a tenancy claim. Rosbergen had been ordered by a court to pay Skedden $1,080 but failed to do so.
The night before a scheduled court enforcement hearing in February 2017, Rosbergen and an acquaintance, Richard Anderson, went to Skedden's home in Delta, B.C.. According to Anderson's testimony for the Crown, they told Skedden they were taking him to a bank to get the money owed. Anderson stated that Rosbergen dropped him off before driving away with Skedden.
"That was the last time Mr. Skedden was seen alive," Justice Fenlon wrote in her decision.
Gruesome Evidence and a Chilling Admission
Anderson further testified that Rosbergen later asked for help cleaning a trailer on his rental property. As Anderson sprayed it out, the water turned red. Rosbergen allegedly told him, "Don't worry about it. He's gone." In a subsequent conversation, Rosbergen stated, "I tied him up with a rope and I threw him in the drink."
The prosecution presented a compelling case built on circumstantial evidence:
- Skedden's blood was found inside Rosbergen's truck.
- Skedden's blood-stained jacket, baseball cap, and other personal items were discovered at Rosbergen's rental property.
- A piece of duct tape matching tape found near Skedden's body was also located at the property.
Justice Fenlon recounted the trial judge's findings that Rosbergen, who was 74 at the time of the crime, had beaten Skedden until his bones broke, then suffocated him before callously disposing of the body by a river, where it was scavenged by animals.
At sentencing, the judge acknowledged Rosbergen's age, lack of prior record, and some health issues but determined these did not constitute "excessive hardship" sufficient to mitigate the need for a stern sentence. The appeal court's decision to revoke bail reinforces the finality of that judgment, prioritizing the execution of justice over the defendant's temporary liberty.
