House arrest for man who pulled knife on security guard

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A young Moncton man who was initially charged with armed robbery at a grocery store last year won’t be headed to jail.

Kobe Michael LeBlanc, 21, was charged in March 2023 with committing robbery at the Sobey’s off Elmwood Drive on March 19 by stealing merchandise while using violence against Cory Samson and carrying a knife to commit an offence. But the Crown later withdrew the robbery charge – which could have landed him in prison if convicted – and charged LeBlanc with uttering threats, assault with a knife, carrying the knife to commit an offence and theft.

LeBlanc pleaded not guilty to the charges last June and the trial was set for this May.

It ultimately wasn’t necessary, with LeBlanc returning to court a few weeks ago and changing his plea to guilty for the Sobey’s charges, along with other theft and related charges relating to other stores. He admitted pulling a knife on the security guard, who attempted to stop him from taking merchandise, and threatening to cut him.

On Tuesday, Judge Paul Duffie accepted a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence for a 15-month conditional sentence order. The offender will be on house arrest for four months and a curfew for the next 11 months. He won’t be able to leave the province for the next 15 months, is banned from having guns and weapons and must provide a DNA sample for the national database.

Also, the judge banned LeBlanc from going to that Sobey’s store, along with the Shoppers Drug Mart on Elmwood Drive and the Main Street Atlantic Superstore.

Duffie told LeBlanc that if he breaches any conditions he could be arrested and returned to court for breaching his conditional sentence order. That could result in him being ordered to serve the remainder of that sentence in jail.