A man involved in two violent home invasions in 2022 in St. John’s apologized to the victims today.

“I was a total mess (at the time) … I was on crack cocaine,” Jonathan Hurley said during his sentencing hearing at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court.

“I’m not trying to minimize my actions or use this as an excuse, but I am a totally different person from when I got arrested.”

Shortly after, Jonathon Hurley was sentenced to six and a half years in prison — a joint submission from Crown prosecutor Alison Doyle and defence lawyer Jason Edwards.

On the evening of Sept. 12, 2022, Hurley and another man, Justin Haynes, forced their way into two random homes — one on Beaumont Street and the other on Maunders Lane. On Beaumont Street, Hurley stabbed the male occupant, threatened to kill him and stole the family’s vehicle — all while their 12-year-old son was home. At Maunders Lane, Hurley and Haynes assaulted an elderly couple — a 90-year-old man and 88-year-old woman — and stole a purse and jewelry.

CCTV evidence showed Hurley and Haynes together, while records obtained by RNC from Atlantic Lottery indicated the men used the elderly couple’s credit card.

Haynes pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced to a five-year prison term.

The victims of the Beaumont Street break-in were in the courtroom today for Hurley’s sentencing, but opted to have the prosecutor read their victim impact statement aloud in court.

While it’s been almost two years since the incident, the couple said they still live with the horror of what happened. In each of their statements, they said they feel unsafe and afraid of people, unable to let their guard down. They said they continue to deal with the mental anguish and anxiety. The man said he also suffers physical pain in his back from the stabbings. The financial impact was also devastating for them. The woman had to take two weeks unpaid leave, while the man spent six weeks recovering and estimates he lost $20,000 in wages, along with damages to their vehicle. He’s also had to try and find a less physically demanding job.

Hurley sat quietly as the statements were read. When he got the chance to speak, he said he isn’t proud of the person he was at that time, but that he’s, “older and wiser” now. He said he’s been clean for 18 months and plans to stay that way.

Turning to the victims, sat in the back of the courtroom, Hurley then said he hoped that one day they could forgive him, at which point the woman shook her head and then wiped tears from her eyes. They were unable to speak to reporters after proceedings, as they had to pick up their son on his last day of school.

Hurley had originally pleaded not guilty to charges against him, but a few days after his trial began earlier this month, he changed his plea to guilty to 10 charges. They include aggravated assault, break and enter, robbery and uttering threats.

Justice Peter O’Flaherty, in rendering a decision on the defence’s Duncan application — a request for enhanced credit due to harsh circumstances faced by the offender — agreed to give the 34-year-old Hurley double-time credit, instead of the regular 1.5 times credit, for the time he’s already spend in custody. It was due to the poor conditions he’s had to suffer while in custody at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary. It leaves just over three years left on his jail term.

The judge said it is difficult to comprehend the horror the victims must’ve felt when the men violated the sanctity of their homes.

O’Flaherty said he a new judge, on the bench three years, and has already seen many cases involving drug addition and how addiction destroys lives. He said he believes the issues needs to be addressed with a different approach.

He said he hopes the sentencing will bring some closure to the victims.

As for Hurley — who held up his middle finger to reporters during his first appearance in court after his arrest — O’Flaherty said Hurley showed disrespect to the public and the media, he believed he was genuinely remorseful and is committed to improving his life.

“You’re still a young man,” O’Flaherty said to Hurley. “I hope you can stay true to your word (and stay clean).”

Hurley nodded and said, “Thank you, Your Honour.”