Paul Sponagle sentenced to 7 years in home invasion involving seniors

A 45-year-old Dartmouth man broke down sobbing Tuesday in Nova Scotia Supreme Court as he tried to apologize for his crimes.

"I apologize for all my actions," Paul Alexander Sponagle said, as he leaned forward on a desk to support himself. He tried to continue.

"I have addictions," Sponagle said, choking back tears. He was overcome by sobs and decided to stop talking.

"I'm good," he said as he returned to his seat between two sheriff's deputies.

Sponagle pleaded guilty to one charge of robbery and one charge of wearing a disguise. Thepleas came at what was supposed to be the start of a six-day trial.

Charges dropped in one home invasion

Sponagle was facing nine charges in connection with two home invasion robberies in December2016.

He pleaded guilty to two charges. The Crown offered no evidence on the other charges so they were withdrawn.

Outside court, Crown attorneySean McCarroll said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction on charges relating to the first home invasion, which allegedly occurred on Dec. 20, 2016.

The two guilty pleas were in relation to a second robbery that happened the next day, Dec. 21.

In an agreed statement of facts presented in court, Sponagle admitted to entering a seniors' apartment complex on Leppert Street in central Halifax.

He placed a plastic Sobeys grocery bag over his head to conceal his identity and forced his way into an apartment where two 86-year-old women were watching television.

Sponagle locked the door and told the pair "You're not going anywhere."

Long criminal record

He began rummaging through the apartment bedroom, looking for money. One of the women managed to slip out of the apartment and call 911. The other woman gave Sponagle about $25 in toonies, so he left.

According to the statement, security video from the seniors complex showed Sponagle, his face no longer obscured by the grocery bag. He was seen in a stairwell then leaving through a door.

The man was later observed on security video at the nearby Halifax Shopping Centre, passing through the mall parking lot on his way to board a bus.

Police recovered a grocery bag with Sponagle's DNA on it on the route he took to the mall. They were able to track him from the bus to an area in north-end Halifax where he was arrested early the next morning.

Sponagle had 45 prior convictions including for robberies committed in Halifax, Cape Breton and Alberta.

His lawyer, Brian Church, told court that Sponagle has "grown up in jail" and has struggled with addictions, especially to crack cocaine.

"He needs help," Church said.

Long history of criminal behaviour

Church and McCarroll made a joint recommendation to Justice Denise Boudreau for a sentence of 7 years. With credit for time served, Sponagle's remaining sentence will be 5years.

"This is a warning to Mr. Sponagle," Church told Justice Boudreau. He said his client realizes that if he offends in the future he could be facing an indefinite sentence as a long-term or dangerous offender.

In accepting the joint sentencing recommendation, Boudreau referred to Sponagle's criminal history.

"It is difficult to know at this point what is going to break this cycle," she said.

At an earlier trial before a different judge, Sponagle was found guilty of robbery and assault for an incident in November, 2016. A nurse at the Halifax Infirmary caught him rummaging through her purse. When she confronted him, he shoved her aside, struck another nurse and fled the hospital. He was caught by two police officers who were just arriving at the facility.

The 7 year sentence includesthe assault and robbery convictions from the hospital incident.

Before deputies took him away, Justice Boudreau issued a warning. "It will only get harsher from this point forward," she said to Sponagle.

"Please hold no illusions about that."