Offender sentenced for punching man, woman after closing time
Silliboy thanked the judge and she urged him to follow through on his claims he wants to better himself
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A young Cape Breton’s man was spared a harsher sentence on Thursday, instead being put on probation for punching a man and woman on a Moncton street after closing time one night last summer.
“It’s a shame to see two people fight to begin with, but when a man hits a woman because she intervened and tried to find out what was going on, I’m not used to seeing that in court,” Moncton provincial court Judge Suzanne Bernard told Robert Jesse Silliboy, 25, during his sentencing hearing.
Silliboy had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and a charge of theft.
He swore to the judge that he’s changed. He’s been sober for a few months and said he’s willing to do anger-management and any other program.
“I’m completely sorry,” said the father of three. “I feel a lot of remorse for my actions and I’m working on myself to better myself, and as a father.”
Prosecutor Jason Godin and duty counsel Vincent Dubuc made a joint recommendation for 12 months of probation and a discharge, meaning there will be no conviction on the offender’s record if he obeys conditions, and the judge agreed.
Godin told the court the assaults happened in Robinson Court in downtown Moncton at 2 a.m. on July 9, 2023. Two groups of people that didn’t know each other left a bar and Silliboy approached a man in the other group, circling around him, acting belligerent and asking what his problem was.
Silliboy punched the victim, knocking him almost into the street and then when a woman tried to intervene and ask what the problem was, Silliboy punched her in the head. She dropped her phone and he grabbed it and took off, though he didn’t have it shortly after when arrested by police. He said on Thursday he was so intoxicated he doesn’t remember taking the phone.
Bernard said fights and assaults sometimes happen outside bars, but she was especially shocked Silliboy struck the woman, then stole her phone.
“It almost sounds like a robbery,” she said, adding that could draw a prison term.
Silliboy was also fined $300, was ordered to do anger-management, must get a mental health assessment and can’t contact the victims.
He thanked the judge and she urged him to follow through on his claims he wants to better himself.
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