Anthony Donald Samuelson recently lost an appeal from a conviction stemming from a 2012 attack on a Penticton man. istock photo

Rock-in-sock attacker loses appeal

PENTICTON – A man convicted of two years less a day for a vicious attack on a Penticton man will serve his full sentence after losing his appeal this week.

Anthony Leonard Donald Samuelson argued his sentence was unduly harsh and requested instead a three-year suspended sentence or a reduction of the present jail term.

Samuelson was sentenced for the Sept. 7, 2012 attack on Michael Ricciardi at a pub in Penticton. Ricciardi was with five friends when Samuelson began yelling at them and became aggressive and provocative. Ricciardi and Samuelson met face to face and exchanged unpleasantries, at which point Samuelson turned away, picked up a weapon—a rock in a sock—and charged Ricciardi, striking him in the head, swinging it like a sling.

Ricciardi sustained a serious head wound resulting in a permanent visible scar, as well as suffering emotional trauma. The court noted that Samuelson “purposely lured” Ricciardi to the location of the offence and went to the effort to fashion the weapon. The judge also noted a lack of provocation for the attack.

The appeals court noted Samuelson’s unstable childhood, his rebellious nature and his history of alcohol and drug abuse. 

Samuelson’s preferred sentencing alternative – a suspended sentence – was primarily a rehabilitative tool, the judge noted in his decision, concluding the original sentences imposed “were not demonstrably unfit.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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2 responses

  1. Kayla Melissa

    some reporter get your facts straight STEVE yeah it is necessary why should my brothers name have to be brought up as a viscous attacker when he was defending himself this story isn’t even clear on actual facts of the event! the group was not at pub but the crossing of the bridge by the art gallery….. and 2 of the 5 boys chose to walk away like grown men when the other two who were drunk themselves I quote MR RICCIARDI,MIKE “couldn’t believe one guy would like to take on 5? so they had to go see what it was all about.” instead of carrying on with the other two men to the pub they intended on going to………. the truth is yes anthony should not have made a weapon out of a sock in a rock but you have no idea the trauma he has endured as a child or teenA group of 5 GROWN MEN all whom of which bigger than him at the time and over 10 years his age! one of whom was a police officer in another country! my brother is doing his time and paying the consequences Mr. Ricciardi has told a lie in the courthouse even about myself to the police accusing me of taking his picture and feeling afraid for his life and that he needed a police escort to his car and home… why would I need his picture when I have seen his face numerous times in and out of that court room. we all live in penticton andrea and your clearly mistaken if you think that just because people haven’t known I am anthonys sister and the VARIOIUS STORIES I HAVE HEARD OF THIS EVENT AND ALLEDGED ATTACK!atleast anthony can accept responsibility for his actions when mike is unable to of his own! I was in the court room and all of them just took it as a paid day off work together and it was two days of their life traumatized really give me a break if he was so traumatized why does it get talked about so often.

  2. Andrea Ricciardi Watkins

    Is it really necessary to put Mike back in the news every time this guy makes an appearance in court?It would be helpful if he, and all of us, could focus more on putting this in the past.Why does his name have to be used and the story be retold, particularly in varying versions, each time?You note right in the article that he has suffered physical and emotional trauma as a result of this attack; does it not occur to you to check with him to see if he is comfortable with his name being put in the spotlight again?Is it a necessary part of your story?I suppose it is too much to ask for a little consideration from a news source.However, is it also too much to ask for proper grammar?Check the beginning of paragraph #3.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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