Panhandler acquitted of robbery charge
Judge finds Robbie MacDonald, 48, had no intent to steal from woman in Tim Hortons parking lot in February, but was guilty of lesser, included offence of assault with weapon
An aggressive panhandler had no intent to steal from a woman earlier this year and therefore was not guilty of robbery, a judge ruled Thursday, but his conduct crossed the line into assault.
Judge Cameron Gunn, in rendering his decision on the robbery trial of Robert (Robbie) Keith MacDonald, 48, of no fixed address, on Thursday, acquitted the defendant of that charge, but found he committed the lesser, included offence of assault with a weapon.
“Wow, you’re cool,” MacDonald said sarcastically to the judge as he appeared in Fredericton provincial court by video conference from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre for Thursday’s proceedings.
“I can’t believe you’re destroying my life.”