Nigel White pleaded guilty to two counts of assault bodily harm and one count of failing to comply with a probation order, stemming from random, unprovoked attacks on strangers at a subway station and a breach of a prior probation order.
The Crown sought a 2.5-year sentence, while the defence argued for 12 months, citing the offender's schizophrenia as a mitigating factor.
The court admitted a chart detailing prior similar violent convictions on public transit.
The court balanced aggravating factors, including the random nature of the attacks on public transit and the offender's criminal history, with mitigating factors such as an early guilty plea, remorse, and mental illness.
The court imposed a 20-month jail sentence, less pre-trial custody, followed by a 2-year probation order with conditions aimed at rehabilitation, including mental health and substance abuse counselling.
