GANDER -
Trudy Pryor, 67, was present in provincial court June 25 as Judge Michael Madden read the charges and sentencing against her in relation to the Sept. 10 - 11 assault, break and enter and robbery of then 88-year-old Horace King of Horwood.
Pryor, along with the co-accused Wade Manuel, was involved in and charged for the assault, robbery and breaking and entering and committing an offence that occurred over both days.
In relation to the breaking and entering charges, Judge Madden sentenced Pryor to 4-and-a-half years, another 4-and-a-half years for robbery and violence and one year for assault.
Judge Madden also granted the Crown's request of a DNA order and a 10-year firearm prohibition.
Crown prosecutor Douglas Howell had no objection to a two for one credit. Pryor has been in custody since Sept. 13, 2009, for a total of 286 days, so this in addition to the time served brings the remaining sentence total to six years for Pryor.
Pryor cried as Judge Madden stated after reading her pre-sentencing report detailing her struggle with retirement, drinking, drugs and relationships, that her past is not an excuse and she shouldn't blame her circumstances for her actions. However, Pryor's lack of criminal record, promise of rehabilitation, age and health were factors in his decision.
Judge Madden classified the crimes against Mr. King has as a home invasion.
"What I'm focusing on primarily in this decision is the circumstances of the offence," he said. "Ms. Pryor was originally hired as Mr. King's homecare worker and was originally hired to tend to his needs, who was then an 88-year-old individual."
Judge Madden also stated that Pryor was a primarily or executor of offense.
"Such treatment could have seriously harmed or killed the victim," he said. "The accused is fortunate it did not."
After reading excerpts from Mr. King's victim impact statement Judge Madden added, "I'm not surprised Mr. King feels the way he does."
The co-accussed, Manuel, 28, had his matter set for a four-day trial in supreme court last week but on the first day of the proceedings (June 22) he pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, break and enter, and robbery and violence in relation to the attacks on Mr. King.
In exchange for Manuel's guilty pleas, the Crown agreed to drop four charges.
"He entered guilty pleas to breaking and entry, robbery with violence and assault with a weapon," said Crown prosecutor Mark Linehan. "The Crown withdrew one of the break and entry charges, because the break and enter occurred over two days, and another assault with a weapon, a single assault charge, and unlawfully in a dwelling house charge but that's a less serious version of break and entry."
Manuel will appear in court again on August 11 for a sentencing hearing.
psnow@pilotnl.ca
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