Nathaniel Bell pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded restricted firearm, possession of a restricted firearm, trafficking in marijuana, and breach of a firearms prohibition order.
The court considered aggravating factors including the seriousness of the firearms offences, Bell's leadership role in a robbery, and his criminal record while on bail.
Mitigating factors included his guilty plea, remorse, disadvantaged background, rehabilitation efforts in custody, and his serious medical condition (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and asthma), which made incarceration more onerous, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The court imposed a global sentence of 4 years and 7 months before credit for pre-sentence custody, which was at the low end of the range due to Bell's medical vulnerability and the harsh conditions of detention during the pandemic.
Enhanced credit for pre-sentence custody was granted at 2:1 for 430 days, resulting in 2 years credit, leaving 2 years and 7 months to serve.