Getaway driver in Hunter River, P.E.I. armed robbery sentenced
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The getaway driver in an armed theft has been sentenced to eight months in jail for being an adjunct to the offence.
Along with the jail sentence, Trudy Lynn McKibbon, 36, was additionally sentenced on Nov. 2 in provincial court docket in Charlottetown to 2 years of probation in relation to the armed theft on the Hunter River Irving gasoline station and comfort retailer on March 3.
McKibbon’s lawyer Isaac Quinn requested a 90-day intermittent sentence for his shopper whereas Crown lawyer Chris White requested eight to 10 months.
McKibbon pleaded responsible on Sept. 14 to being an adjunct after the actual fact to the fee of the theft. The cost entails McKibbon understanding that co-accused Matthew Douglas Uytendaele, 26, dedicated the armed theft and that she helped him escape. McKibbon additionally gave a false alibi to police for herself and Uytendaele.
March 3 armed theft
In accordance with the information beforehand learn in court docket, on March 3 after midnight, McKibbon and Uytendaele drove to the Irving gasoline station and comfort retailer in Hunter River. Uytendaele went inside sporting a masks and robbed the clerk of $45 whereas brandishing a hammer. McKibbon additionally pumped $40 price of gasoline into her personal automobile. The pair then fled the scene with the stolen cash and with out paying for the gasoline.
The shop clerk known as 911 at 1:57 a.m. and reported the armed theft.
Although Uytendaele wore a masks, police considered the shop’s video surveillance footage and recognized him because the robber because of a novel tattoo on his hand. Uytendaele was identified to police because of prior offences.
Police traced the automobile’s licence plate quantity to McKibbon because the registered proprietor. Police had been additionally in a position to elevate two of McKibbon’s fingerprints from the gasoline pump deal with.
Assertion to police
At round 3:10 a.m. that morning, police situated McKibbon’s automobile deserted in a car parking zone in Summerside. The automobile was searched and police discovered a hammer that matched the outline of the one used within the armed theft.
A number of days later, when McKibbon phoned police about her automobile being towed, she was informed that she was arrestable in relation to the Hunter River Irving armed theft.
After talking to a lawyer, McKibbon gave a voluntary assertion to police. She stated that on March 2 – the day earlier than the theft – her automobile and keys had been stolen. McKibbon additionally stated that she solely realized her automobile was stolen on March 4 and that she had not reported the theft to police.
McKibbon gave police a listing of names of people that might have stolen her automobile. McKibbon additionally falsely informed police that she was with Uytendaele March 2-3 and that neither of them had been on the Hunter River Irving on the time of the offence.
Theft affect
McKibbon has a previous prison file involving theft underneath $5,000 in 2007 and a firearms offence in Amherst, N.S., in 2019. Neither of these offences resulted in a sentence involving jail time. Because of the 2019 offence, McKibbon was on probation on the time of the Hunter River theft.
At sentencing, Orr stated that retailer clerks at gasoline stations and comfort shops typically work alone and late at night time. Many individuals depend on that kind of employment to assist their households they usually should not have to fret about being robbed, Orr added.
As effectively, Orr famous that the people McKibbon named as presumably stealing her automotive might even have been investigated and arrested within the Hunter River armed theft.
Private points
Quinn informed the court docket that McKibbon has reached out to Lennon Home about addictions therapy however has not made a proper software to the ability.
Even so, Orr stated that McKibbon has a historical past of not beginning or following by means of earlier substance abuse therapy and psychological well being applications. It was additionally famous in court docket that McKibbon had a tough childhood, and in her grownup life, has handled grief, together with over the loss of life of her brother.
McKibbon’s mom was within the courtroom for the Nov. 2 sentencing.
Uytendaele pleaded responsible on July 20 to armed theft and was sentenced to twenty months in jail.
Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with SaltWire Community primarily based in Charlottetown.
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