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Robbery and jail attack lands man 12 month sentence

A 23-year-old Vancouver man has been sentenced to 12 months in jail for his role in a downtown Whitehorse robbery and for later beating up a fellow inmate at the Whitehorse jail.

A 23-year-old Vancouver man has been sentenced to 12 months in jail for his role in a downtown Whitehorse robbery and for later beating up a fellow inmate at the Whitehorse jail.

Taking into account the time he has already spent in jail, Robert Gilbert has 45 days left in his sentence.

Gilbert pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, assault causing bodily harm, and an attempted escape in Yukon territorial court on Wednesday.

Gilbert admitted to being in the getaway car on Feb. 24, 2015 when two other people robbed an electronics store in downtown Whitehorse using a machete. They stole money and did about $2,000 in damage.

Gilbert was one of two people waiting outside in a running car, Crown prosecutor Eric Marcoux told the court. He was arrested that day.

In April of this year, while at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre, Gilbert and two other men attacked a fourth inmate in their unit’s common area.

The trio had been ordered back to their cells so the fourth inmate could come out and get medication.

The men are not supposed to be out of their cells at the same time, Marcoux said.

Gilbert and the others went to their cells and then, in what judge Peter Chisolm described as a “co-ordinated effort” came out of their cells and attacked the victim.

There was no mention in court of whether the cell doors were left unlocked or if the men managed to somehow jimmy the locks open.

The two other men carried homemade weapons - socks filled with something heavy, the court heard. Gilbert did not have a weapon. The man was punched and kicked.

The 12-month sentence was a joint recommendation to the judge from Marcoux and Gilbert’s lawyer Jason Tarnow.

Tarnow said his client is sorry for what happened. Gilbert took advantage of his time in jail, he said, and took courses towards his GED.

Contact Ashley Joannou at

ashleyj@yukon-news.com