An Alberta man who randomly attacked multiple strangers with “sucker punches” in Vancouver last year should spend 18 months behind bars, Crown prosecutors argued on Monday.
The Crown says Zachary Shettell should face an additional two months of probation once his jail time is up for the three attacks in five days in late November.
Shettell has pleaded guilty to assaulting the three strangers, and his lawyer argued Monday he should be sentenced to time served (10 months) plus three years of probation.
“There really is no explanation for these offences,” Crown prosecutor Christine Lusk told the court. “We’re fortunate the injuries weren’t greater.”
The first assault happened on Nov. 24, outside the Fairmont Hotel, when Shettell walked up to a 35-year-old man and punched him in the face.
Then, on Nov. 25, he punched a 29-year-old man on West Pender near Granville Street.
On Nov. 28, he then punched a 28-year-old man outside The Bay on West Georgia, knocking him to the ground.
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“This is not one single transaction. Each of these offences occurred on a separate day and involved a separate set of circumstances and a separate victim,” Lusk said, arguing that Shettell should be sentenced to six months in jail for each assault, to be served consecutively.
In addition to the stranger attacks, Shettell also pleaded guilty to assaulting a TD Canada bank teller by pouring coffee on their lap and computer during a dispute over getting a new bank card, and to the theft of an $850 Canada Goose vest from Holt Renfrew.
The Crown called for a 60- and 30-day sentence for each of those offences, to be served concurrently with his other jail time.
Shettell has a lengthy criminal history, including 27 convictions, 20 of which are for breaching court orders and three of which are for assaults.
His lawyer, Jason Hemmerling, told the court Shettell was lost and alone in the city, had been robbed, was abusing drugs and in a “very, very hyper-stressed-out state of mind” at the time of the attacks.
He argued the fact his client pleaded guilty early should serve as a mitigating factor in his case.
Hemmerling added that Shettell plans to return to Alberta, seek construction work and go to school.
With credit for time served, the Crown’s submission would amount to just under eight months of additional jail time.
The judge has reserved her decision to a later date.
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