Kenenth Curry walking toward court in Nanaimo on Wednesday, Oct. 29 just prior to being placed into custody on a two-year jail sentence (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

aggravated assault

‘You could have killed him:’ man jailed for vicious Nanaimo bat attack

Oct 30, 2025 | 5:27 AM

NANAIMO — Facts behind a perplexing daytime beating on a busy Nanaimo street over two years ago have been revealed.

Kenneth (Kenny) Robert Curry, 20, was issued a two-year jail sentence in a provincial institution for an unprovoked baseball bat attack on Nanaimo’s Bruce Ave. which left his young victim with significant head injuries on the afternoon of June 16, 2023.

Curry pleaded guilty earlier this year to aggravated assault and disguising his face to commit an offence for his violent outburst against Donovan Williams, who court heard was the offender’s former friend.

Multiple on-scene videos captured by civilians on their phones were referenced by Crown counsel’s Jordan Hauschildt during a Wednesday, Oct. 29 sentencing hearing at Nanaimo Law Courts.

Kenneth (Kenny) Curry, armed with a baseball bat, stands after Donovan Williams after hitting him in the head. (Nanaimo RCMP)

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“When you strike someone in the head with a baseball bat, particularly when you do that more than once, there is certainly a risk you’re going to cause life-threatening injuries,” Hauschildt said.

In addition to bat strikes to the head, Curry also kicked Williams in the head area.

Multiple videos of the disturbing assault were played on a courtroom monitor, including a short clip of Curry taunting the motionless Williams.

“Cut the chit chat goofy, you like that goofy?” Four or five to the face, knock your nose in p*ssy,” Curry shouted.

Social media videos of the encounter were used by Nanaimo RCMP to advance their investigation.

Curry was the passenger in an SUV, who fled the scene prior to the arrival of Nanaimo RCMP and other emergency responders.

The attack lasted about one minute.

Donovan Williams was viciously beaten and left unconscious on a Nanaimo street (Nanaimo RCMP)

The victim was reported to be lying unconscious on the street when Nanaimo RCMP rushed to the scene.

Williams then regained consciousness but was unable to speak to police before again passing out.

He was hospitalized with a skull fracture and bleeding of the brain; however, did not require surgical intervention after being transferred from Nanaimo hospital to Victoria General Hospital.

Curry carried out the attack while wearing a balaclava to disguise his face.

Evidence showed Curry appeared to hide the bat while initiating a conversation with Williams before taking a swing at his head.

“This is not a chance encounter that results in a fight, it’s a pre-planned incident,” Hauschildt said.

Curry turned himself into police after being implored to do so by a family friend.

Offender’s background

While this is Curry’s first criminal conviction as an adult, he’s been well known to Nanaimo RCMP for his conduct as a youth.

He has two convictions as a young offender, both for violent assaults in 2021 and 2022.

A pre-sentence report and psychiatric evaluation were both ordered to gain more insight into his offending and assist with the sentencing process.

Described as a former friend of his, Curry told his probation officer that he became angry with Williams, but didn’t provide many specifics.

“He indicated to the report writer that he didn’t mean to hurt him that bad and that he was scared that he may have actually killed his former friend,” Hauschildt outlined.

Additional information was included in the psychiatric report.

Curry stated he felt harassed and threatened by Williams previously, while also insinuating Williams had a knife and was trying to kill him.

The offender appeared to downplay the attack, stating he hit Williams on the head with a wooden stick.

Curry reported he struggles with cocaine and methamphetamine addictions and drinks alcohol daily.

Past contact with psychiatric professionals appeared to be primarily due to psychosis symptoms linked to substance misuse.

In the opinion of a court-ordered psychiatrist tasked with examining Curry, his history of violence and risk of mismanagement were concerns.

“The likelihood of violence in the future is high,” the report states.

Curry has diagnoses of cannabis, stimulant and alcohol use disorders.

He had a relatively stable upbringing under the guidance of his mother.

Defence attorney Michael Ritzker said while Curry initially indicated he wanted the Bruce Ave. attack to proceed to trial, he has come a long way in owning up to his behaviour.

Ritzker said Curry fully understands and accepted he would be headed to jail.

“There was no deflection, complaining, stammering — he was absolutely calm and sincere and mature about it.”

Ritzker said Curry thrived from attention he gained for anti-social behaviour, including notoriety gained through social media.

He said Curry now understands the perceived social value credit he received is in fact all just a worthless illusion.

“The status that young people gain from what they post on social media and how they attack and avenge each other. It’s all algorithmic in a sense, but it’s all fake,” Ritzker told the court.

No victim impact statement was presented to the court on behalf of Williams.

In a verbal address to the judge, Curry said he comes before the court as a new person.

“I’ve done a lot of self-reflecting and decided that the path I was going down is not the right one. I know a lot of people that I used to be around, their lives have changed drastically and not in a good way,” Curry said.

Judge Chris Churchill called Curry’s June 16, 2023 conduct deeply concerning and dangerous.

“The assault that you perpetrated on your former friend Donovan Williams could have killed him. It’s an aggravated assault, right at the top of the categories of assault.”

Judge Churchill said the sentencing range for the scale of Curry’s aggravated assault is between 16 months and six years behind bars.

“The pre-meditation, the nature of the weapon, nature of the assault, use of a mask all moves it up from the bottom of that range, but not so much as to discard any hope for your rehabilitation.”

A recommendation from the court will be made for Curry to serve his sentence at Nanaimo Correctional Centre with the aim of him participating in the renowned Guthrie Therapeutic Community rehabilitation program.

Judge Churchill accepted a joint sentencing recommendation for Curry, which includes an 18-month post-release probationary period containing numerous conditions.

Kenneth Curry after pleading guilty on May 2, 2025 to the baseball bat attack. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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