Judge cites resources, rehab in seeking reduced Stanley Cup rioter sentence

VANCOUVER – A B.C. provincial court judge has cited resource issues and rehabilitation over punishment in attempting to reduce the sentence of an admitted Stanley Cup rioter, but was blocked by court rules.

Judge Gregory Rideout says he’s concerned about setting a precedent for future riot cases and so tried to lower Robert Snelgrove’s community service sentence from 150 to 50 hours.

The move comes before hundreds of other potential riot cases funnel through the over-burdened court system, which Rideout suggested was part of his motivation in amending the man’s five-month sentence of house arrest.

But jurisdiction rules prevented the changes, and lawyers on both sides agreed the issue could be revisited after Snelgrove begins his community service a few months from now.

Defence lawyer Chandra Corriveau says she believes the judge called the case back because he is deeply concerned with doing “the right thing.”

Snelgrove apologized publicly through the media on three occasions after admitting to looting cosmetics from the Sears department store during the riot on June 15 last year.