More than a week after his trial began in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in St. John’s, Jonathon Hurley — the man who had denied being part of two violent home invasions almost two years ago — has decided to change his plea to guilty.

In a surprising turn of events today, Hurley’s lawyer, Jason Edwards, informed Justice Peter O’Flaherty that Hurley would now be entering guilty pleas.

Hurley faces close to a dozen charges that include break and enter, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and uttering threats.

Hurley’s decision to plead guilty comes a day after a video of Justin Haynes’ interview with police was played in court. Haynes was the other man arrested and charged in connection with the home invasions. In March 2023, Haynes pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a federal prison term of more than five and half years.

Haynes had implicated Hurley in the crimes in statements to police after his arrest and in court, when he pleaded guilty for several charges. However, earlier this week, after being flown in by the Crown from Springhill Institution, a federal prison in Nova Scotia, he testified in Hurley’s trial that he actually can’t remember what happened — but insisted he acted alone. Crown prosecutor Alison Doyle had the video shown to the judge yesterday to dispute Haynes’ testimony.

Hurley and Haynes were taken into custody and charged following two violent home invasions on Sept. 12, 2022 — on Beaumont Street and Maunder’s Lane.

On Beaumont Street, Hurley allegedly stabbed a male occupant twice, threatened to kill him and stole a vehicle. In the Maunders Lane break-in, an elderly couple — a 90-year-old man and 88-year-old woman — was assaulted and robbed.

CCTV evidence showed Hurley and Haynes together the night of the home invasions, while records obtained by the RNC indicated the men used a credit card stolen from Maunder’s Lane.

The case will be called again in court tomorrow, when the change of plea is expected to officially be entered and a date set for a sentencing hearing. The Crown may also indicate if there will be an agreed statement of facts presented and if the victims of the home invasions will present victim impact statements.