The 21-year-old was given credit for time served for a total of 83 days, leaving just over three years remaining in his sentence.
Symes appeared by way of videoconference to hear Judge Harold Porters’ decision on sentencing in provincial court in Grand Bank on Thursday, May 18.
In his written decision on sentencing, Porter detailed that on March 24 the RCMP in Marystown received a report of a robbery at Chase’s Diner and Bar in Creston South.
“A male entered the diner brandishing a knife and demanding cash with his face disguised by a mask. The male left the dinner on foot with approximately $2,500. There were approximately six people in the bar at the time of the robbery,” wrote Porter.
From the video that was taken from the scene, officers later identified the male as Dylan Symes. He was arrested that same day and questioned.
“Under caution, Symes admitted to robbing Chase’s Diner with a knife, taking money from the hands of the bartender and fleeing on foot to an awaiting car,” the Judge noted.
Porter highlighted several aggravating factors in sentencing Symes, including the past history of the accused detailed in a 17-page record; the fact that there were several patrons in the restaurant during the robbery; the accused was masked; and the amount of money taken totalling $2,500.
He added several mitigating factors on sentencing as well including the youth of the accused, his confession to police, the early guilty plea and his drug addiction.
In addition to the net sentence of over three years in custody there were victim surcharges of $1200, a firearms prohibition order, and an order for DNA to be collected and entered in a national databank.
