Man sentenced to three years for robbery
After finding a Lethbridge man guilty last April of robbing a city pub in 2016, the only task left for the judge was to decide how long Isaiah Cole Wawia should go to jail.
During a sentencing hearing Wednesday in Lethbridge provincial court the Crown asked for four years; three and a half for the robbery of Bo Diddly’s Pub and Grill, and six months for being masked during the robbery. The Crown also recommended six months for carrying a concealed weapon and one month for drug possession, each to run concurrently with the robbery sentence.
Defence, however, suggested a sentence of two years for the robbery, and concurrent sentences for all the other charges.
Judge Gregory Maxwell split the difference and sentenced Wawia to three years for the robbery, and said the remaining offences would run concurrently with the robbery charge, not consecutively.
Wawia was found guilty on all four charges following a split trial in November of last year and April of this year.
Wawia and another person entered Bo Diddly’s Pub and Grill on the northside just before 11 p.m. Feb. 22, 2016, and while the other man stayed by the door and acted as lookout, Wawia spoke to the bartender and then went to the bathroom. When he came out he was wearing a mask and pushed the bartender aside before ripping the cash drawer out of a VLT and fleeing.
Several patrons chased the two men, but stopped after they heard someone yell to grab a gun. No weapon was ever found, however.
The two men got away with $1,750, although they left a trail of coins for police to follow. The cash drawer was found a few days later in a back alley off Mayor Magrath Drive South.
Crown prosecutor Erin Olsen argued Wawia should not be given enhanced credit for the 423 days he spent in custody waiting for his case to conclude, and pointed out Wawia was far from a model prisoner, and was often involved in or instigated fights in jail.
Defence lawyer Vincent Guinan said his client should be entitled to enhanced credit, which, under the Criminal Code, can be one and a half days for every day spent in custody.
Maxwell agreed and credited Wawia 635 days, leaving him with 295 days to serve on his threeyear sentence. Wawia must also submit a sample of his DNA for the National DNA Databank, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or other weapons for life.
The second man charged with Wawia, Craig Quesnell, eventually presented alibi evidence and was acquitted of robbery. However, he was convicted of possessing cocaine, for which he was fined.
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