ADDICTIONS LED TO CRIMES

A Regina man says a powerful addiction to cocaine and crystal meth led
him to commit a series of crimes over several months, including
robbing a woman with a broken hypodermic needle and stealing more than
$21,000 from his grandmother.

Andrew John Harper, 28, received a 21/2-year jail sentence Monday
after pleading guilty to several charges at Regina's Provincial Court.
The sentence takes into account the three months Harper has already
served on remand at the Regina Correctional Centre. Remand time is
typically credited as double.

During Harper's sentencing, court heard the first theft began early in
2005, when Harper began stealing his grandmother's debit card and
taking advances on her credit card, eventually taking a total of
$21,340. His grandmother recovered some of the money, but is still
down almost $11,000, which Harper will have to pay back as part of his
sentence.

Crown prosecutor Chris White said Harper went to a local jewellery
store in October and asked to see a $4,500 diamond ring. When he had
it in his hand, Harper asked how much it was worth, said "Thank you"
and ran out of the store into a waiting vehicle.

The clerk recognized him as a past customer, White
said.

The robbery occurred at about 1 p.m. on Dec. 18, when Harper
approached a woman at the Regina Inn with a broken needle, saying,
"Give me your purse or I'll stab you" and making threatening motions
with the needle.

Later that day, he attempted to use the woman's credit cards to take a
taxi and buy a watch at Birks Jewellers.

In addition to the thefts and the robbery, Harper also pleaded guilty
to obstruction for contacting a co-accused in the robbery case and
asking him to lie in court.

Legal Aid defence lawyer Gene Josephson said Harper describes himself
as a drug addict; "somebody who got involved in these offences to
support his drug habit."