From the Canadian files of Everyone's a Victim, comes the case of Unnamed Brat who murdered a Vancouver-area gas station attendant by dragging him to his death after he gave chase to Unnamed Brat for stealing $12 worth of gas.

The young man who pleaded guilty to dragging gas-station attendant Grant De Patie to death after stealing $12 worth of gas apologized to his victim's family yesterday in court, saying he knows he can do nothing to lessen their loss.

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The youth was 16 when he was arrested days after Mr. De Patie, working the overnight shift alone at a Maple Ridge Esso station, was dragged more than seven kilometres.

The youth had stolen a truck earlier that evening of March 8, 2005, and fled the gas station after stealing gas and hitting Mr. De Patie, 24, who was about to report the theft.

Seven kilometres! Seven!! That's no accident - that's deliberate. But hey - the killer was a victim, too. Just ask his defence attorney:

But Phil Riddell, the accused's lawyer, said a sentence of four years with a five-year driving prohibition is more appropriate.

"You look at a young 16-year-old man with little family support who has a substance-abuse problem. He goes out on a joyride with tragic consequences," Mr. Riddell said. "One has to separate the tragic circumstances [from] Mr. De Patie and what led to the circumstances."

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Court heard that the youth did not have a driver's licence when he stole the truck after an all-day drinking binge with friends in the community of Haney in the district of Maple Ridge.

He frequently skipped school, and though living with a foster family, the youth, who had grown up in an abusive home, often slept at his grandmother's house.

On the night the youth stole $12 worth of gas, his lawyer said he was extremely intoxicated and had no intention of hurting anyone.

"There was no plan or deliberation to hurt anyone. It was a tremendous set of circumstances," Mr. Riddell said.

"A second either way and he would not be here. A young man -- intoxicated -- panicked."

So a drunk kids steals a truck, steals gasoline, and kills a young man in the process. But the drunk Brat is the victim? No. He's an irresponsible killer. He took a mother's son's life because he was drunk and stupid. There's no excuse for that. Lock him up.