A judge sentenced a Cambridge man to eight months in jail on Thursday, although he wasn’t happy about it.
Justice Craig Parry told Brian Bingley that he had to base his sentence on similar cases from the past.
“If left to my own devices, I would impose a sentence of two years,” he said.
Bingley had previously pleaded guilty to fraud, uttering threats and breaking and entering in connection with a series of incidents involving elderly women in Kitchener and Cambridge.
Police have said that Bingley intimidated the women into paying him to perform odd jobs around their properties, took the money and never performed the work.
In the most serious incident, Bingley broken into a woman’s home, rummaged through various rooms, and threatened to “fix” the woman when she refused to pay for work she had never asked to have done.
The eight-month sentence had been recommended by the crown. Bingley’s lawyer had been asking for a sentence of six months.
Parry noted that there were some factors working in Bingley’s favour, including his guilty plea an an apology he issued Thursday – at Parry’s request – to a victim who was attending the sentencing hearing.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” he said.
“I hope you get over the fear I caused. I see how upset you are. I’m sorry.”
Bingley, 58, has more than a dozen past criminal convictions, including some for robbery assault. He has struggled with addiction issues.
In addition to the jail sentence, Bingley was ordered to pay back the three people he stole from.
With credit for time already served, Bingley is expected to be released from custody in September. He said Thursday that he plans to move to Guelph after his release.
With reporting by Nicole Lampa
