Marijuana delivery nets probation period

A Westmount man charged after being caught selling drugs from a delivery service van, with his five-year-old daughter present, has been sentenced to a two-year probation period.

Robert Benjamin Billard, 32, was charged last Oct. 28 in Sydney when he arrived to make a requested delivery to a customer that turned out to be a police officer.

In addition to requested deliveries, Billard was offering some customers the opportunity to purchase marijuana.

He gave one customer a sample to try with a note attached containing a phone number to access more.

The note was turned over to Cape Breton Regional Police who placed an order and then arrested Billard when he arrived to deliver.

At the time of his arrest, police seized 29 grams of marijuana and $166.

Billard admitted that selling marijuana was a way to help finance his opiate addiction.

The sentence of probation was a joint recommendation by both Crown and defence. Provincial court Judge Ann Marie MacInnes told the accused if there had not been a joint recommendation, she would not hesitate to send Billard to jail.

She said exposing his fiveyear-old daughter to such a crime was shocking. The court was told the child was with Billard because the family could not afford child care.

Among the conditions of his probation, Billard is to take all counselling as recommended by his probation officer and is to refrain from alcohol and drugs not prescribed him by a physician.

Billard has since enrolled in a methadone program in a bid to kick his addiction.