‘Chronic offender’ sentenced to two years for targeting seniors

Defendant struggles with drug, alcohol abuse, mental health issues

A “chronic offender” whose record includes almost 60 offences — many targeting seniors — will likely resume his criminal ways if he does not receive the help he needs, a Niagara judge said Wednesday.

“It seems inevitable that Mr. White will reoffend on release, whenever that is,” Judge Deborah Calderwood said in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines Wednesday after she sentenced Russell White to two years behind bars on various charges including break and enter and theft.

“The reality of his criminal record tends to suggest that the best solution is to separate him, this chronic offender, from the community for a substantial period of time.”

Court head the 56-year-old defendant struggles with drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.

The judge said “unless effective treatment is brought in to place” he will likely continue to offend.

Treatment is necessary, she told the offender, “in order to get out of this horrible cycle you’ve been in for decades.”

In November 2019, court heard, White stole credit cards from a purse belonging to a 70-year-old woman in the Halton area.

The cards were used to purchase more than $500 in items from the LCBO and several grocery stores.

Also in November, White broke into a unit at a condominium in Niagara Falls and stole a purse belonging to a 69-yearold woman.

The theft was captured on surveillance video.

The credit cards were used to purchase more than $600 in merchandise at local pharmacies and grocery stores.

Later that month, court was told, credit cards were stolen from a Niagara Falls apartment while the occupant was asleep inside.

“It goes without saying that this type of offence, breaking and entering into someone’s dwelling house, strikes at the heart of one’s sense of security and safety,” the judge said.

Calderwood described the defendant’s record as “horrendous.”

“There is no significant gap (in his record) other than during periods when he was incarcerated,” she said.

In 2018, White pleaded guilty to a slew of offences after he was captured on video surveillance stealing from elderly residents at retirement homes and senior housing facilities in Niagara Falls, Welland and West Lincoln.

For those cases, he received a sentence of 26 months behind bars.

He was sentenced to close to six years in prison in 2009 after being convicted in Kitchener of 23 counts of break and enter, many of which took place at seniors homes.