An Edmonton man was sentenced Wednesday to 22 1/2 months in jail for a pair of violent and brazen robberies earlier this year.
Derek Michael Leo Henry was issued the term for two counts of robbery, committed March 31, when Prince George RCMP received two calls in quick succession about incidents near the corner of 20th Avenue and Victoria Street.
In the first call, received at 7:30 a.m., police were told the victim of a mugging showed up in the emergency room at University Hospital of Northern B.C. suffering from injuries exacted when a man on a bike come up from behind and struck him on the head several times with a what appeared to be a “lanyard and ball,” before kicking him and making off with his cellphone.
The mugging occurred at about 6:30 a.m. and the victim made his way on foot to the hospital.
Four minutes after the first call, RCMP were called to the 7-11 convenience store on 20th Avenue where a man had threatened staff with a metal bike lock and chain and demanded all of the cigarettes.
When staff refused, he left and the door was locked. But according to RCMP, an accomplice had remained inside and, when the man returned, let him back in. This time he was carrying metal pipe and chain and used them to smash the front counter before climbing over and grabbing five packs of cigarettes.
As the two made their getaway, they checked for unlocked vehicle doors as they went, witnesses told police.
RCMP flooded the area and within three minutes of the second call coming in, they had both suspects in custody and had recovered the cigarettes and cellphone.
Henry has remained in custody since then while the alleged accomplice, Georgina Anne West, was released on $500 bail. Charges against West were stayed last week.
Henry was also sentenced to a concurrent term of 18 months for a count of aggravated assault.
