'She suffered with a secret that ended her life': Family of IPV victim share their trauma at sentencing hearing for Windsor man

The family of an Intimate Partner Violence victim are sharing their trauma at sentencing hearing for Windsor man.

Wellington Holland, now 64, was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison for killing his common-law partner Janice Madison, 67, on Nov. 14, 2023.

**WARNING: Contains graphic content.

“I felt my mom thought she was in a safe and loving relationship. She hoped and she prayed and always believed in her relationship, that things would get better,” Madison’s daughter Brittany-Jean Madison-Struck said during her victim impact statement.

“I now have a sense of guilt for not trying hard enough to get her away from a person I feel is a monster.”

At the time of her murder, Holland was under a court-ordered ban on possessing any weapons.

He also had eight convictions for offences against Madison including assault.

Madison, court learned, was stabbed in the ear and chest and she had defensive wounds to her hands.

“Wellington treated my mother like a character from a science fiction story, attacking her heart and head as if she were something to be slain,” daughter Jenelle Madison-Struck said in her victim impact statement.

“The small bit of solace that I have is that the funeral home treated her with more dignity and care than Wellington ever did.”

Holland was, at the time of Madison’s murder, intoxicated; three to four times the legal limit to drive in Ontario.

His only explanation to his family or the police was that Madison was “belittling him” and he “couldn’t take it anymore.”

“No words can fully capture the pain of her loss, nor the weight of knowing that she suffered with a secret that ended her life,” daughter Angeline Pettigrew told the court.

Madison’s children described her as a kind and loving mother and grandmother who adored her two cats, turtle and fish; pets that now live with a member of the family.

“Having my grandma taken away from me, horrifically hurt me on the inside,” grandson Dylan Duguay-Kearns wrote for the court.

Holland tearful apology

“I do deeply regret what happened to your mother,” Holland said directly to Madison’s daughters in court Monday before breaking down in tears. “I did not mean for this to happen.”

Holland apologized to both the Madison family and his own family members in court Monday.

“I’m beside myself. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. There’s no excuse,” Holland said. “I swear to God, I didn’t mean it.”

“I'd never seen him get this emotional,” defence lawyer Bobby DiPietro Junior told CTV News following the sentencing. “It hit home and resonated how he spoke in the presentencing report that he wanted the family to know that he was the utmost remorseful and certainly feels for them.”

DiPietro Junior also started his remarks by offering his condolences to the Madison family for suffering such a “tragic event”.

He told the court Holland has struggled with alcohol abuse since he was 14 years old after being raised in a troubled home. He only has a grade five education and has never had any “meaningful” employment according to DiPietro Jr.

“He was in a motor vehicle accident at a young age, I believe he was on a bicycle (and) he was struck. He's had several surgeries. He had to learn how to walk again at a young age,” DiPietro Jr. said. “Coupled with that and alcohol abuse, certainly has taken a toll on him.”

DiPietro Jr. had asked for a sentence of 12 to 15 years in prison.

Crown elevates sentence request

Assistant Crown attorneys Bryan Pillon and Christina Eid asked for a sentence of 15 years in prison, noting intimate partner violence is recognized by the courts.

“A person in those relationships is in a position of trust and vulnerability with their predator,” Eid told the judge. “The crowns’ view is the court should impose a sentence that reflects and fosters an environment where individuals can feel free to trust and be vulnerable in those types of relationships without the fear of violence.”

Eid said Holland’s age, his poor health, and guilty plea are all mitigating factors in the case.

But she said the fact the murder occurred when he was under a court order shows “complete disregard” for the rule of law.

In a written statement, Pillon and Eid said they were pleased the judge agreed with their arguments.

“That sentence has pushed the boundaries of what was previously considered legally supportable for this type of offence,” the statement reads in part. “Mr. Holland’s actions were an egregious and reprehensible criminal offence and today’s sentence sends a message to the community that such conduct will be punished severely.”

Judge weighs-in on IPV

“Society’s views on this type of homicide have changed greatly, perhaps not enough,” Justice Bruce Thomas said in sentencing Holland. “We need to recognise the vulnerability of, particularly females, in domestic relationships.”

Justice Thomas said the courts must “flex” their decisions based on changing “norms” in society.

“The range of sentence in the past, the historical look at what sentences would have been for manslaughter of this type in the past, in a range of eight to 12 years, can no longer be seen as adequate in the circumstances.”

Justice Thomas did give Holland credit for pleading guilty instead of going through a lengthy jury trial and for offering what appeared to be a sincere expression of remorse to the family.

Yet he was critical of Holland for telling his probation officer that Madison was yelling at him and belittling him the day she was killed.

The judge believes alcohol has “ruled and ruined” Hollands’ life, noting he has gone through the Brentwood program three times and hasn’t been able to quit drinking.

“Mr. Holland has wasted his life and now he has wasted your mothers’ life,” Justice Thomas said to the Madison family. “And for that, I’m sorry.”

Justice Thomas sentenced Holland to 15 years in prison.

He was never granted bail after his arrest on Nov. 14, 2023 so was given 21 months credit in pre-trial custody.

Holland has a little more than 13 years left to serve.

He must also provide a DNA sample to remain in the database and he cannot possess weapons for the rest of his life.