Sarnia man jailed eight months for injuring elderly volunteer while stealing booze

While sentencing Brandon Tetreault to about eight months in jail for injuring a 75-year-old Salvation Army volunteer while stealing booze from a Sarnia LCBO, the judge referenced his pre-sentence report.

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The probation officer who interviewed Tetreault, 27, wrote he laughed about it and said he didn’t see the “old guy” while running out the door.

Even after spending five months in pre-plea custody, Justice Mark Poland said he still hasn’t grasped the seriousness of the situation.

“Mr. Tetreault doesn’t seem to get it yet,” he said.

Tetreault went into the Quinn Drive LCBO around noon on Dec. 16 wearing a mask and tried to leave with two bottles of vodka worth about $90. On his way out, Greg Robbins, collecting donations for the Salvation Army Christmas kettle campaign, grabbed one of the bottles and tried to stop him.

Robbins tripped, fell and hit his head on the metal frame of the door. He was taken to hospital where 10 staples were needed to close a gash on his head.

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“His injuries were significant,” assistant Crown attorney Sarah Carmody told the court.

Tetreault fled. Police released surveillance photos of a man wearing a red hood, black face covering and a New York Yankees baseball hat.

Tetreault was arrested the next day. His lawyer said Lambton Mall security recognized him from the photos and detained him. He was charged with aggravated assault, theft, and wearing a disguise with the intent to commit an offense. He was kept in custody for about eight weeks until he was released Feb. 16 on $1,000 lease.

Tetreault came back to the courthouse in July, where he pleaded guilty to the lesser included offense of assault, theft, and wearing a disguise with the intent. His sentencing was adjourned for a couple of months, but in the meantime he was arrested again in August on charges linked to a Roger Street stabbing and has been in jail since then.

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He watched from the prisoner’s box at his recent sentencing hearing for the LCBO theft and assault as Poland continued reading from the pre-sentence report, which he called pretty glum and depressing as his parents all but abandoned him as a child.

“Mr. Tetreault got about the worst hand of cards you could possibly imagine,” he said. “The fact that he’s before the court as a young man with this criminal record is, I would say, depressingly predictable.”

Lawyer Robert McFadden said his client, who started drinking and using drugs at a young age after his deplorable upbringing, is now battling homelessness.

“It is a sad situation,” he said.

Poland agreed, but also endorsed Tetreault.

“If you want to turn your life around then you’ve got to take the bull by the horns. Otherwise this five months in jail that you’ve already served? You’re going to get more time. It’s just going to be a drop in the bucket,” he said.

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Tetreault had about five months taken off his 240-day sentence, leaving 88 days to serve. It’s unclear when he’ll be released with his other charges still outstanding.

A man was seen chasing two other men with a knife around 7 am on Aug. 15 near Indian Road North and Exmouth Street. Police found the three men on Roger Street.

“One (man) had suffered significant, but non-life-threatening, injuries and was transported to the hospital for further treatment,” police said.

Tetreault, who lived on Roger Street at the time, was charged with aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and mischief.

He returns to court Thursday by video link from the Sarnia Jail.

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