C5

MARY-ELLEN SAUNDERS
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

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ROTHESAY - A 23-year-old Saint John man admitted he got high on Dilaudid and stole gas from a gas bar and a tip cup from Tim Hortons.

Robin Caleb Newman pleaded guilty in Hampton provincial court on Tuesday to two charges of theft on Feb. 8.

Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 19.

Crown prosecutor Kelly Winchester said on Feb. 9, Newman went to visit his grandparents in Rothesay and was going to ask them for money for gas. However, they were not home and he gas tank on empty and could not get back to Saint John.

Winchester said Newman, who admitted to getting high on Dilaudid four hours before visiting his grandparents, went to the Wilson's gas bar in Quispamsis, pumped $25 worth of fuel, and drove away.

Next, she said, he decided to get a coffee and when he was driving through the Tim Hortons drive-thru in Rothesay he tried to snatch the tip cup sitting on the window ledge.

Winchester said the coffee-shop employee held his hand out to stop Newman and some of the change fell on the ground. The employee took down Newman's licence plate number and called police.

The court heard Newman, who has no criminal record, went through the alternative measures program, but did not follow through on a commitment he made to apologize to the victims and pay back $25 to the gas station and $7.01 to the Tim Hortons' employee.

For those reasons the alternative measures were cancelled and the charges were sent to court to be resolved.

"What's he doing taking Dilaudid and leeching off his grandparents?" Tonning asked. "He wouldn't even be here if he had said sorry and paid back the money."

Tonning said the fact that Newman was taking Dilaudid set off "alarm bells" and he wanted a pre-sentence report before making a decision.

Newman said he attended a program to help with his addiction and was ready to turn his life around.

The judge said he would give Newman a break if he earned one. He told him to arrive with the money he owes the gas station and the coffee-shop employee when he returns for sentencing.

"In the meantime, start using your head," Tonning said.