A North Vancouver Provincial Court judge has sentenced a man to nine years in prison for a string of Metro Vancouver robberies.
Included in Judge Joanne Challenger’s sentence in Clint Aaron Jeremy Billy’s case were three counts of using an imitation firearm in committing an offence, one count of possession of an imitation handgun and one count of breach of a release order.
Billy, a member of the Squamish Nation, was 32 to 34 years of age at the time of the offences, Challenger said.
“He has a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions for 11 prior robberies and two for using an imitation weapon,” she said.
The robberies involved banks, liquor stores, gas stations and other places located in Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Burnaby, Surrey, Maple Ridge, White Rock, Vancouver and North Vancouver.
Many instances involved guns — real or imitation.
A co-accused has already pleaded guilty to six robberies and using an imitation firearm.
Challenger said an in-custody psychological assessment was prepared for a parole hearing in 2015.
“It is not a positive report,” she said. “Mr. Billy is described as being proud of his criminal behaviour and apparently excited by the violence he perpetrated. He described himself as highly intelligent. He was viewed as being entitled and manipulative.”
The Crown suggested a total sentence 9.5 to 10 years while defence counsel suggested four years.
In passing sentence, Challenger said Billy has expressed a desire to change but “can talk the talk but not walk the walk.”
And, the judge said, she could not find evidence demonstrating Billy was sincerely remorseful or accepts responsibility for his behaviour.
“Unfortunately, he appears to see his decision to engage in robberies while brandishing an imitation firearm, for the purpose of financial gain, as justified by his past trauma and his sense that he has been treated unfairly by the system,” Challenger said.
