Matthew Steven Bloch

The Crown charged the defendant with two counts of assault, attempted theft, assault to resist arrest, escape from lawful custody, and two counts of breach of probation arising from incidents on St. Clair Avenue.

The defendant was found guilty of assaulting and attempting to steal from one victim, assaulting a good Samaritan who detained him, and escaping that detention.

The defendant was acquitted of charges relating to the assault on a café owner, as the Crown failed to prove identity beyond a reasonable doubt despite an in-dock identification.

The accused pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery while armed with a firearm and one count of being disguised with intent.

The robberies occurred over a six-day period in June 2010, targeting four convenience stores in Toronto.

The accused participated in the robberies as part of a group, though he did not handle the firearm or directly participate in the violence.

The court imposed a sentence balancing denunciation and deterrence against the accused's youth, remorse, cooperation with police, and rehabilitation prospects.