Victim was stabbed in the neck on a Vancouver sidewalk at lunchtime by a stranger: judge
A British Columbia man was just 18 when he approached a stranger on a downtown Vancouver sidewalk at lunchtime and stabbed the victim in the neck, a local courtroom heard last week at a sentencing hearing.
George Robinson, now 20, admitted to the stabbing on Dec. 18, 2019. Because there was no trial, details were revealed for the first time in Judge Gregory Rideout's reasons for sentence.
Robinson pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault, which was captured on CCTV camera at noon on Granville Street.
The court heard during the hearing on May 10 that Robinson had been walking on the west sidewalk, and that another man was walking toward him.
According to Rideout's summary, Robinson asked the stranger for his name, and when the stranger didn't respond, and walked past, Robinson turned around and pulled out an object from his pocket, while continuing to question the other man.
The victim, who didn't know Robinson and didn't understand the questioning or what Robinson was getting at, did not respond.
"Suddenly, without provocation, the accused is observed (in surveillance video) running up to (the victim's) left side with what appeared to be a sharp object, believed to be a knife… The accused is observed making a rapid downward sweeping motion, striking (the victim) in the left side of his neck," Rideout wrote.
Robinson ran off, while the victim called 911 and was taken to hospital.
The victim needed exploratory surgery to determine the source of a hemorrhage, and required four days of treatment. He was in the hospital over Christmas, and released the day after Boxing Day.
Years after the attack, the victim told the court through a victim impact statement that he still has nightmares about it.
"I didn’t feel safe in my own city, and I still have paranoid feelings that somebody is after me. I have found less reason to get out of bed in the morning, sometimes I will be there till 3 p.m.," he said.
His attacker was unidentified until the following month, despite the video of the attack and from a taxi Robinson took after the incident, until someone sent an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers the next month.
Police searched Robinson's home in March 2020, and said they found a pistol and ammunition inside a safe, as well as a knife, "a half dozen cellphones" and other items seized by officers.
When determining a sentence for the accused, who confessed to the assault while talking to an undercover police officer in his jail cell then later pleaded guilty, the judge took into account his personal circumstances.
The court heard Robinson's father was an alcoholic, and that he'd struggled with learning disabilities while in school. He started using cannabis at age 14 and escalated to benzodiazepine and OxyContin by age 15.
"At the time of the assault on (the victim), he was 'heavily entrenched in drug use and his intoxication led to an unprecedented amount of paranoia,'" the judge wrote, citing a report that was not posted online.
Psychological reports showed a history of concussions and a potential for life-threatening violence in his future, but also noted he'd participated in a substance abuse program since the time of the assault.
He had no criminal record and accepted responsibility by pleading guilty, but the assault was a random act of violence and he had weapons at home.
Rideout decided, ultimately, to sentence Robinson to 30 months behind bars – a year for the assault and 18 months for the possession of a firearm.
Recognizing his attempts at rehabilitation, the judge said he'd recommend the sentences be served at a minimum/medium-security federal facility, and that be sent somewhere that would allow for one-on-one counselling for mental health and substance use.
He'll also have to give authorities a DNA sample that will stay in a database, and is subject to a lifetime weapons ban.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.