Calgary police officer's son handed 21-month sentence for machete attack

The son of a Calgary police officer was handed a 21-month jail term for a 2021 machete attack on a stranger, after the judge ruled time-served was not a strong enough sentence. 

Connor Dery, 24, pleaded guilty last month to aggravated assault.

On Thursday, Justice Brian Stevenson handed down the jail term plus three years probation.

With credit for the time he has already served, Dery has about a month left on his sentence.

• Calgary officer turned son in to police after recognizing machete attack suspect, judge told

Prosecutor Shivani Naidu-Barrett had proposed a two-year sentence followed by two years probation.

Defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli asked the judge to sentence his client to time served, approximately 19 months at the time of the hearing, plus three years probation.

Father turned son in

On Oct. 15, 2021, Dery pulled a machete on a man at a CTrain platform in what was described as an "unprovoked" attack.

The victim suffered several injuries, including a deep cut on his arm that went down to the bone

When photos of the suspect were released, Dery's father recognized his son and turned him in. 

Justice Stevenson heard that Dery had suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child and has been placed under a guardianship order. 

During sentencing arguments, the judge expressed concern Dery was carrying a "lethal weapon" with "the very lame excuse that it's for self-protection." 

Last month, Dery gave a tearful statement in court, telling the judge he "will never be back in this courtroom or any courtroom."

"What I did is wrong," said Dery. "I deserve the consequences."