Irving robbery suspect pleads guilty
15-year-old Bilijk First Nation boy will be sentenced in February for car-crash incident
One of the two Bilijk (Kingsclear) First Nation teenagers accused in an attempted-robbery prosecution has admitted to numerous crimes related to a car crash at a downtown business this fall..
Two Bilijk boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested the morning of Oct. 19 after a stolen Mercedes crashed into the glass doors of the Irving gas station and Circle K convenience store.
Police reported they were investigating the incident as an attempted robbery.
The teenagers can’t be named as the Youth Criminal Justice Act prohibits identifying underage defendants.
The 15-year-old suspect, represented by defence lawyer Marine Polo, appeared in Fredericton youth court by telephone from the youth jail in Miramichi on Wednesday afternoon.
He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, possession of a stolen 2018 Mercedes C300, masking his face during the crime, assault with a weapon (the Mercedes), mischief causing damage to the gas station and breach of a youth probation order.
Judge Mary Jane Richards scheduled his sentencing hearing for Feb. 7, and she remanded the youth again until that time.
An outstanding count of dangerous driving related to the events of Oct. 19 was reserved until sentencing, and it’s expected the Crown will withdraw that charge at that time.
The 14-year-old boy charged in the case is free on conditions.
He’s set to return to youth court Jan. 3 to enter pleas to the joint charges of attempted robbery, possession of the stolen car and having his face masked.
The younger defendant also faces related counts of indictable assault, threats and violation of the conditions of a police undertaking.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.