By Curtis Galbraith

Court

Court update: Sentences in two robbery cases, trial dates set in murder case

Sep 20, 2021 | 6:00 AM

Jail sentence in Fairview robbery

Alberta Justice says the man charged after a robbery at a Fairview business last year has been given a four-and-a-half year jail sentence.

Chance Banner was given 414 days credit for pre-trial time spent in custody during sentencing September 8 in Fairview court.

Banner had pleaded guilty to charges of robbery with a firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm, and failure to comply with an undertaking March 10, also in Fairview court.

Seven other charges were withdrawn.

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He was arrested after a robbery December 5, 2020 at Jewellery Box and Giftware in Fairview.

RCMP said at the time a man came in with what looked like a handgun and demanded money. He ran away with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured.

Jail sentence in Whitecourt robbery

Alberta Justice says a man charged after a robbery in Whitecourt has been handed a five-year jail sentence.

Matthew James McDavid was given the sentence after admitting to a robbery charge August 30 in Whitecourt court, the first day of a scheduled two-day trial.

Charges of disguised with intent and using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence were withdrawn.

McDavid was also given 487 days credit for time already spent in custody, leaving 1,338 days left to serve.

He was arrested on June 24 last year in connection with a June 9, 2017 hold-up at the Bank of Nova Scotia in Whitecourt.

RCMP said at the time a man pointed what looked like a firearm at employees and ran away with what Mounties described as “a large sum of cash.”

Trial dates set in Slave Lake murder

Alberta Justice says trial dates have been set for a man charged after a murder last year in Slave Lake.

A jury trial for Vernon Wayne Laboucan will run from February 14 through 25, 2022 in Peace River Court of Queen’s Bench.

The High Prairie man was charged after the May 17, 2020 death of 34-year-old Christopher Valiquette of Swan River First Nation.

RCMP said at the time Valiquette died at a Slave Lake home from what police believed were stab wounds.

Jail time after weapons seizure

Alberta Justice says a man charged after a weapons seizure in Grande Prairie was given jail time back in July.

Shawn Arsenault pleaded guilty to charges that included unauthorized possession of a weapon, failure to comply with a release order, and failure to comply with probation July 22 in Grande Prairie court, the same day he was scheduled to stand trial. Five other counts were withdrawn.

He was charged after the search of a home in the Highland Park neighbourhood on September 24, 2020.

Police seized a restricted handgun, a loaded pistol magazine, imitation firearms, bear spray, and brass knuckles.

Arsenault was wanted on other warrants at the time and was arrested while trying to climb over the fence to get away.

He was given a 540-day sentence to cover everything but credit for time already spent in custody meant he only had 30 days left to serve.