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16- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 19, 1999 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Seven grounds cited in appeal of McArthur sentence By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star The sentence handed a man for his role in the bloody 1994 bank robbery here was not severe enough, the province has declared. As we reported last week, a formal appeal of the Mitchiel Micky McArthur sentencing has been launched by the Ontario attorney general's office. Appeal papers citing seven different grounds were pre- pared by lawyers with the Crown Law Office of Toronto, and the papers were served late last week to McArthur at his Kingston prison cell by a Durham Region Police detec- tive. There are two parts to the appeal: One deals with the fact that Justice Harry LaForme refused to declare McArthur a dangerous offender after a week-long hearing in Whitby last month. The second deals with the length of prison term handed down by Judge LaForme. He sentenced McArthur, 46, to a total of 23 years in prison for his convictions on 17 charges stemming from the shootings and bank robbery in Port Perry in October, 1994. The Judge allowed McArthur 8 1/2 years off that sentence for the four years he has spent in custody to date, meaning an effective term of just over 14 years. He could be eligible for parole in six years and will get mandatory release for good behaviour after serving two- thirds, or about 8 1/2 years, of his 14-year sentence. The Crown Attorneys who prosecuted McArthur at trial and who brought the dangerous offender application had asked for a life term if Judge LaForme did not declare him a dangerous offender. Life in Canada means 25 years in prison without parole. Justice LaForme's sentence sent shock waves through the community of Port Perry, and especially angered police offi- cers and the civilians shot the early evening of Oct. 24, 1994. ou The sentence given Mitchiel McArthur, seen here in file photo, is being appealed by the province. Three Durham officers were wounded by a high-powered rifle fired by McArthur as he made his getaway on foot from - the Bank of Montreal branch in the Port Perry Plaza. The bank manager was shot by McArthur in the knee during the robbery, and a real estate agent was seriously wounded by a rifle bullet that went through the window of the near- by office where she was working at the time of the robbery. Evidence during December's dangerous offender hearing showed McArthur had shot and wounded a Toronto police officer in the knee while he was being arrested in 1977 in a downtown Toronto jewelry store. And after a 1984 bank rob- bery in Hepworth, Ont. McArthur fired several shotgun blasts at a pick-up truck that was following his getaway car out of that small village near Wasaga Beach. The driver of the truck was not hit. McArthur has more than 150 convictions in a criminal career that began in 1967. He has escaped custody eight times, including from maximum secu- rity in the Kingston Penitentiary. The Durham Police Service, the Police Association, local MPs and others expressed anger over the fact McArthur was not declared a dangerous offender last month. They demanded an appeal of that decision, as well as an appeal of the actual sentence handed down. A 12-person jury found McArthur guilty in April, 1997 on all 17 charges stemming from the Port Perry crimes, including four counts of attempted murder of the police officers and the realtor. The same jury acquitted his younger half-brother Angus of the same 17 charges. McArthur's accomplice the night of the Port Perry robbery is still on the loose. The two weapons used -- a high powered Steyr Aug assault rifle and a heavy calibre handgun -- have not been recovered. And the $50,000 taken at gun-point from the bank vault has never been recovered. The appeals will be decided by three judges in court in Toronto. It's part of a unique deal with IBM 'Man faces charge after using stolen bank card By Rik Davie Special to the Star Durham District School Board trustees and mem- bers of the School Community Council got a first- hand look at a computer program that's expected to change the way students here -- from the primary grades right through high school -- will learn. The new TLC (Teaching and Learning with Computers) learning program is part of a deal between the board and computer giant IBM. Area schools are to be wired for the new system, which will see almost every aspect of learning tied to a massive computer network. The software will allow teachers to track a student's progress in almost every subject. IBM struck deal with board IBM representative Gary McPhie told the crowded board hall that the deal with Durham is unique for the best known name in computer hardware. "We don't have another partnership like it in North America," Mr. McPhie said. "We are very proud of it." The deal will see the board supplied with both computer hardware (the computers themselves), and the software to meet new provincial learning strate- gies. Included in the price tag -- the deal is worth in excess of $15 million -- is the re-wiring of schools « and a service program that Mr. McPhie said is ~ Trustees view software package without parallel. "If a student were to do something to a unit that caused a problem or a failure, we could go into the system remotely from Toronto and fix it with just a phone call from the teacher," he said. Will help with literacy testing Director of Education Grant Yeo said that one fea- ture of the system will be the ability to handle the now compulsory Grade 10 literacy testing that all students will have to pass before they can graduate. "It will help u. to help those who have difficulty with the testing and see that they pass eventually," he predicted. A demonstration of the software showed how the computers are capable of simulating science experi- ments, and how students can do problem solving exercises that the program can then mark. Assignments can be handed out electronically by teachers, and help programs are available to teach students who have troubles with the system. The computer will even show signs to the teachers that alert them of students who need extra help. Mr. McPhie said that on completion, the system will be a showcase of IBM learning strategies. "A system like this does not run, on the Durham level, anywhere in the world," he said. Literature on the new learning partnership is available from the board offices. By Doris Hill The Greenbank Sesson announces that the annual meeting of the Greenbank United Church is to be held on Sunday, Jan. 24 following worship. Over the noon hour chili will be provided. You may donate sand- wiches or sweets. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. in the sanctuary. Child care will be provided in the H----"@ Greenbank area news J Doris Hill I ------ Annual church meeting is Sunday Midgley, Dan Smith, Kim Smith, Raymond Kerry and Steve Kang. Why not join this team, working to serve and help the people of Greenbank. For information phone 985-3723. The Lions will be running a card and dart night on Jan. 22 from 8 to 10 p.m. A fun night to play euchre, crib and darts. Come and have a great time. The cost is only basement hall. The family of Isabel Raines invite you to a tea to celebrate her 80th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Greenbank United Church. The Greenbank Park and Hall Board will hold their annual meet- ing on Monday, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. in Greenbank Hall basement. Everyone is invited to attend. The Greenbank Lions inducted six new members on Jan. 6. Their new Lions are Pat Spencer, Wilma $2. The Liofis are offering a low impact fitness course on Tuesday nights. The course will go if they have at least 12 people sign up. For information phone soon - 985-3703 or 985-3723. "A 20-year-old Prince ber of charges after a surveillance camera 8 tht him using a stolen "Durham Police arrest- ed a man last week after he stole a bank card from the pocket of a Port Perry The accused 'was y caught by a surveillance camera at a CIBC branch 'in Ajax, say police. The victim had pinned 'her personal identifica- Albert man faces a num- tion number to the card, which allowed the accused access to her account. He made a num- ber of phony deposits and _ then withdrew more than - $900 from her account, _ say police. : The 20-year-old Prince Albert man will appear ~ in an Oshawa court to answer to theft of a credit card, use of a stolen credit card, possession of a stolen credit card, and fraud under $5,000 charges. SIU investigators still haven't talked to cops From page 1 to examine what they've found, and that's it." Mr. Romagnuolo and his son Rocco, 17, where shot by two York Regional Police officers and one Durham Regional Police officer on the evening of Dec. 28 in front of their Brock Township home. The two York officers were investigating a threat allegedly made by a Romagnuolo family mem- ber after a traffic incident. They were accompanied by Durham officers, who acted as escorts in the region. While it is unclear what exactly happened that night, it has been con- firmed that all three offi- cers fired shots after a scuf- fle ensued between police and family members. York Constables Randy Martin and Mike Hoskins, along with Durham Constable Alan Robins, have all been designated subject officers by the SIU. "None of the subject offi- cers have spoken with the investigators, to my knowl- edge. That might have occurred over the weekend, I don't know," said Ms Scala, stressing that because of the date of the shooting, none of the sub- ject officers have to speak with investigators by law. New regulations in effect Jan. 1 now force sub- ject officers to speak with the SIU though, she added. Durham PC. Nancy George was deemed a wit- ness officer by the SIU and spoke with investigators after the shooting, said Ms Scala. SIU investigators are still détermined to wrap the case up in 30 days, she continued. "We're going to try, but I don't really know how things are going. | know they'd like to, but any unforeseen circum- stances may delay the investigation."