8-year sentence appropriate in purse-snatching case: Crown

A St. John's man who got in an elderly woman's car and told her to drive under the threat of violence should be given an eight-year prison sentence, court has been told.

James Glasco was convicted earlier this month of robbery with violence, following an incident last summer when he got in the car of Mary Horan outside a Zeller's store and later stole her purse.

Court was told that when Horan refused Glasco's demands, he jostled her so much that her head hit the steering wheel. Glasco then stole her purse and fled.

Crown prosecutor Phil LeFeuvre told the court Glasco should be given a lengthy sentence, because the incident shows that Glasco who has 75 prior convictions is escalating toward violence, and society needs to be protected from him.

LeFeuvre said Glasco has not changed his ways, despite serving much of his adult life in prison.

But defence lawyer Brad Savoury told Judge David Orr that the incident with Horan did not involve much more than the petty thefts that Glasco had committed in the past.

Savoury said Glasco is not a violent person, despite two previous convictions for assault.

The defence is recommending that a sentence between two and three years is more appropriate.

Savoury, meanwhile, told the court that Glasco's crimes were motivated by his drug addiction, although Orr said no proof was presented to show that drugs drove Glasco to commit the crime.

Orr is expected tobring down his decision next Tuesday.