A young person pleaded guilty to robbery with a firearm under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The offence involved a coordinated robbery of a marijuana dispensary where the victim was shot in the leg.
The court considered sentencing principles under the YCJA, including the requirement to consider alternatives to custody.
Despite the serious nature of the offence and the Crown's request for 12-15 months custody, the court imposed a non-custodial sentence of two years probation with strict conditions, crediting the young person's 171 days of pre-trial custody as equivalent to over 8.5 months.
The decision emphasized rehabilitation, the young person's positive institutional conduct, supportive family circumstances, and concerns regarding the overrepresentation of young Black people in custody.
