'I know what I'm charged with': Scottish men accused in Owen Sound restaurateur's death address Ontario court

Unmasking the suspects in robert owen go eating place possessor’s death | Exclusive

Three Scottish men accused in the killing of Ontario restaurant owner Sharif Rahman after a dispute over an unpaid bill appeared in an Owen Sound court Friday morning after their extradition to Canada.

Robert Evans, 25, faces a manslaughter charge, while his father, Robert Busby Evans, 47, and his uncle, Barry Evans, 54, are charged with being accessories after the fact. 

The men — each spoke in Superior Court during the hearing — will be held in jail as their cases work their way through the court system. There are separate lawyers for each man, and one of the three intends to apply for legal aid, court was told.

Rahman, 44, died in August 2023 in a London, Ont., hospital after being punched outside his restaurant, The Curry House, in Owen Sound while confronting customers who were skipping out on a bill, police have said.

Officers from Owen Sound police and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) escorted the three men from the United Kingdom to Canada on Thursday, police say.

Crown prosecutors asked for a publication ban on any evidence heard at the men's bail hearings and listed 11 people connected to the case that each man is not allowed to contact.

The men appeared one by one in Owen Sound court. Their lawyers appeared via Zoom link.

"We are aware of the impact this investigation has had on the victim's family and the local community. We are also deeply grateful to everyone who came forward with information to assist police during the investigation," police officials wrote earlier in a statement.

Rahman was a popular restaurant owner who was involved in business and social causes in Owen Sound. His death shocked the tight-knit community. He left behind a wife and young daughter.

Police allege that Robert Evans Jr. Threw the punch that felled Rahman.

Wearing a black T-shirt and black pants at his court appearance, he said he didn't need his charges read out to him.

"I know what I'm charged with," he told the court. His next court appearance is Dec. 15.

Barry Evans faces an accessory-after-the-fact charge for reportedly instructing Evans Jr. To "run," then driving him to Collingwood, an hour away.

A short, stocky man, he appeared in court wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, and also indicated he knew the charge against him. He will return to court Jan. 12.

Robert Evans Sr., who wasn't at the restaurant, has also been charged as an accessory for allegedly buying an airline ticket for his son and arranging for his transport to Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

He told the court he had a cold but didn't need medical attention, and asked if he would be able to contact his family in the United Kingdom.

"I've been locked up for 16 months. I've been locked up with my son in the same room. Will I be able to get that here, too?"

He was told that would be up to the jail where he is placed. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 7.

According to police, Evans Jr. Departed on a flight to Heathrow airport in the U.K. On Aug. 18, 2023, the day after the altercation in Owen Sound. The uncle and another family member, who was at The Curry House but has not been charged, left that same evening on a flight to Glasgow. Evans Sr. Followed a few days later, travelling to Manchester.

Two of the men were arrested in Edinburgh in July 2024 and the third in Dalkeith in October 2024. They remained in custody and consented to extradition in October 2025, after initially indicating they would contest their removal to Canada.

According to the Scottish court files, Evans Jr. And Sr. Entered Canada as visitors in early June 2023, using valid U.K. Passports with fake names — Michael and Justin Jones. 

They didn't have work visas. But police say the Evans family spent the summer criss-crossing the province, operating a cash-only business called Total Paving.

The documents identify the family as part of the U.K.’s “traveller” community. A number of those tight-knit clans have been flagged by authorities for operating driveway repair scams that span the globe.

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