Man says morphine addiction led to robbery

Craig Stadler told police he never thought he would be capable of committing a robbery, but a powerful morphine addiction stemming from surgical complications led him to do just that.

The 44-year-old father of three was arrested shortly after robbing a business in Outlook on Feb. 21.

He entered the store wearing a black hat and neck warmer. With his hand in a pocket, he told the employee, “Give me all the cash in the till and nobody will get hurt.”

Stadler walked away with $80, Crown prosecutor Kim Humphries said during the man’s sentencing hearing in Saskatoon provincial court.

Stadler pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Judge Marilyn Gray sentenced him to 18 months in jail followed by 12 months of probation.

The Crown asked for a jail term of two years less a day, arguing it was still a lower-end sentence for robbery and would take into account Stadler’s early guilty plea and lack of prior criminal record.

Legal aid lawyer Adam Masiowski argued for an 18-month sentence because Stadler did not have a weapon and did not use any violence.

Court heard the man has had ongoing surgeries after his leg became infected from screws used in an operation four years ago. Stadler became addicted to the morphine he was prescribed and recently lost his job, Masiowski said.

“So that’s really derailed his life; that’s why the robbery was committed.”

Masiowski told court Stadler contacted an addictions counsellor while in custody.

One of his probation conditions when he gets out of jail will be to take in-patient addictions treatment as recommended.