Man pleads guilty in bank-machine attack

Woman suffered skull fracture, was robbed of about $600

The Crown plans to request a dangerous-offender assessment for a man who has pleaded guilty to two charges in connection with an attack on a woman at a bank machine in downtown Dartmouth last year.

Jordan Anthony White, 42, was supposed to go on trial Friday in Dartmouth provincial court on four charges from the Jan. 1, 2023, incident: attempted murder, robbery, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

The Crown agreed to amend the attempted murder charge to the lesser offence of aggravated assault as part of the plea bargain.

White, who appeared in court via a video link from Dorchester Penitentiary, where he’s serving a sentence for other offences, also pleaded guilty to the robbery charge.

Judge Jill Hartlen accepted the guilty pleas and ordered White to appear in court again March 20 to begin the sentencing process.

Defence lawyer Mark Bailey said White has another trial scheduled later this week on charges of robbery and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Those charges are from a Dec. 17, 2022, holdup at a convenience store on Pleasant Street in Dartmouth in which the culprit was armed with an axe.

Bailey said that case is also expected to resolve with a guilty plea. He said the plan is to have that matter return to court March 20 as well.

Prosecutor Eric Taylor told the court the Crown intends to seek a risk assessment to see if White could meet the criteria to be designated a dangerous offender or a long-term offender.

The findings of that assessment would determine whether the Crown moves ahead with a dangerous-offender application.

The attack on the woman happened at the TD Canada Trust branch on Portland Street. The victim suffered a skull fracture when she was hit on the head with a wooden baluster.

Taylor said about $600 was taken in the robbery.

“Mr. White has an extensive criminal record,” Taylor said outside court. “He has many convictions in Ontario, and in New Brunswick as well.”

Taylor said details about White’s past will be provided when he asks the judge to order the risk assessment, which would have to be performed by a forensic psychiatrist within 60 days.