Former drug addict gets 18 months for robbery with a rock

Here are two Times Colonist stories from 2003 and 1996 about one of the suspects in the attempted bombing in Victoria on Canada Day. 

Former drug addict gets 18 months for robbery with a rock: 

McCulloch, Sandra. Times - Colonist [Victoria, B.C] 05 Mar 2003: B2.

A 28-year-old Victoria man who bonked a businessman on the head with a rock before running off with his briefcase was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment Tuesday.

John Nuttall, a former drug addict, will be able to serve his sentence in the community by way of a conditional sentence order. That means he can stay out of jail but must obey strict conditions or face a breach charge that could ultimately remove his freedom.

Nuttall pleaded guilty Tuesday in Victoria provincial court to a charge of robbery. The charge relates to an incident on May 2, 2002 at 6 p.m. when Nuttall ran up behind a man walking eastbound on Hillside Avenue and hit him on the head with a rock.

The victim was struck on the head and dropped his briefcase, Crown prosecutor Steve Salmond told the court.

Nuttall demanded the man hand over his wallet. The victim refused and Nuttall fled with the victim's briefcase.

The victim called 911 from his cell phone and ran onto Hillside Avenue to stop a motorist for help. A man driving a blue truck spotted Nuttall and drove after him, following him to the rear of a Fifth Street apartment building.

Victoria police officers joined the chase and arrested Nuttall. The briefcase was recovered from the apartment Nuttall shared with his commonlaw spouse.

Nuttell has a criminal record with includes previous convictions for robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault.

His life of crime centered around his addictions to drugs, said defence counsel Tom Morino.

Nuttall was under the influence of cocaine at the time of this recent robbery and has little memory of it, said Morino.

"He came out of his apartment door, struck the first person he saw and went back inside his apartment," Morino said.

Nuttell was hallucinating that someone from the street was going to harm his girlfriend, he said.

In the months since the robbery, Nuttall has stopped taking drugs and has weaned himself off the methadone program. He is now drug free and doing "remarkably well," Morino said.

"He appears to have turned his life around."

Hubbard said the robbery of an innocent victim and Nuttall's own record would normally mean a stint behind bars.

"To go out and hit someone on the head and then rob them -- it's pretty disgraceful," Hubbard said.

But he said Nuttall has shown some positive signs and allowed him to serve an 18-month jail term at home. He must stay out of trouble and obey a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

Nuttall is also ordered to abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs and write a letter of apology to the man he robbed.

Beatings net twosome jail time - By Kim Westad - Times Colonist

Times - Colonist [Victoria, B.C] 13 Apr 1996: 1.

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 The "brawn" got 18 months. The "brain" got almost five years in prison for his part in several vicious beatings over a $280 drug debt.

Eugene Falle had John Nuttall wrapped around his little finger.

Falle took the bigger and significantly less-intelligent man along as an enforcer when he collected debts.

In May and June last year, the twosome went to Timothy Walsh's home at least three times. Each time, Walsh was severely beaten. Falle slashed his face from chin to ear. Another time, Nuttall kicked him so severely, Walsh had to have a kidney removed.

After that beating, Falle grabbed a butcher knife and chopped off Walsh's hair. Another time, Falle and Nuttall took Maria Pereira, who lived with Walsh. They said they'd used the woman as "collateral."

Nuttall pleaded guilty last year to several charges and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Falle went to trial. The jury convicted him of a raft of charges, including kidnapping, breaking and entering, extortion, mischief and two charges of aggravated assault - one step below attempted murder.

Falle has more of a criminal record than Nuttall, and was convicted of more charges.

Prosecutor Robin Baird said a sentence of 10 years in prison was appropriate for Falle, who was the real power behind the beatings.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Jacqueline Dorgan said that but for Falle's age, he'd have received a longer prison term than the one she imposed Friday - four years, and five months.

Falle is 22, the judge noted, and there is some chance he may turn his life around.

He made a plea to the judge moments before she sentenced him, saying he's learned a lot while in jail awaiting trial and that he's sorry for the harm caused Walsh.

A report prepared for the judge said Falle showed no remorse.

Falle has already been in jail the equivalent of 18 months awaiting trial and sentencing. Dorgan took that into account in the sentence.