One of the suspects involved in a Summerside hotel robbery in late May was jailed Monday for 12 months.
Scott Bruce Dalziel, 40, was sentenced by Judge John Douglas on a charge of break and enter after entering a guilty plea in Summerside provincial court.
Douglas noted the charges Dalziel was facing were serious.
According to the statement of facts entered by Crown attorney John Diamond on May 31, Dalziel turned himself over to Summerside Police and was arrested for his involvement in the May 27 break-in.
The May 27 robbery led to a series of events that resulted in the death of Jeremy Stephens of Summerside, who was shot by police as they tried to arrest him. He later died in hospital.
Dalziel acknowledged that he was present during the robbery at the Quality Inn on Water Street.
On May 25, Dalziel rented a room at the hotel. He said another man was with him at the time. That evening, Dalziel and three others were driving around and selling drugs. They used vitamins rather than real drugs, said Diamond.
That night they sold 100 fake speed pills to two men for $200.
Later, Friday night, Dalziel received text messages from one of the men alleging they ripped him off.
The next day, Dalziel and three others – two from the previous night and another man – went to the rented room at the Quality Inn.
Dalziel said he was interested in resolving the matter, either with new drugs or by giving the money back.
According to the statement of facts, an altercation ensued and one man was stabbed, while a woman was struck with a pipe.
Diamond continued: “(One man) was yelling ‘Where’s my (expletive) money. I’m going to (expletive) kill you,’” according to Dalziel.
When the struggles ended, Dalziel said the three men he arrived with left.
According to Dalziel, he closed the door of the room because he wanted to stay, but one of the others re-entered and yelled, “Get in the car right (expletive) now.”
The four men then drove west to the O’Leary Tim Hortons, and on the way, Dalziel indicated that the weapons used in the incident were thrown out the passenger-side window.
Diamond also referenced Dalziel’s past criminal record, dating back to 2003, with various charges of drug possession, break and enter, theft and possession of stolen property.
Defense lawyer for Dalziel, Trish Cheverie, said her client has taken responsibility for the incident and is remorseful.
“My client has a serious drug problem, which he has been attempting to deal with for several years. He says he has essentially been on methadone for the past two years, but that did not deter him from using other compatible drugs, as is the case with many people engaged in the methadone program in the province,” said Cheverie.
“He has indicated that since his incarceration, he has seen doctors at the correctional centre and has joined the tapering off program with the goal to be completely clean of all drugs when he is released from custody.”
Cheverie said, from Dalziel’s perspective, that gives him a fighting chance.
“He has a supportive family, they remain supportive of him. He is also a trained machinist, so he has the capacity to get employment.”
She said the trend of violence in drug-related incidents is increasing.
“We have a community of people involved in the drug trade that take the law into their own hands…”
She also pointed out that there was no proof of what was taken, if anything, during the robbery at the hotel.
Douglas ordered Dalziel to serve 16.5 months imprisonment for the break and enter, with four-and-one-half months already served.
He must also serve 45 days concurrent and two 10-day concurrent sentences for breach of undertaking, failure to appear in court and failure to comply with a probation order.
He was fined a $200 victim surcharge for the break-in and $100 for every summary offence following.
Dalziel will be on probation for two years, must submit a DNA sample to the DNA data base and is prohibited from possessing a weapon.
