Man found guilty of using a sword to rob a woman

A Yarmouth man will be sentenced next month after being found guilty of using a sword to rob a woman.

Justice John Murphy convicted 45-year-old Gordon Russell Cromwell of Argyle Street during a trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. Cromwell will be sentenced on Oct. 16.

During the trial the court was told that Cromwell brandished a decorative sword, about 30 to 40 centimetres in length, and he told his victim that he was going to rob her. The two were in an apartment of another man, where people had been smoking crack cocaine.

The trial heard that Cromwell committed the Feb. 21 robbery because he needed money to buy more crack cocaine. He and the victim had argued earlier in the evening before Cromwell left but later returned with the sword.

The victim, who tried to escape, gave Cromwell money from her wallet. He also took two cellphones from the apartment.

While on patrol, two RCMP officers came across Cromwell about 15 minutes after the robbery had occurred, although police were unaware at the time that a crime had occurred. Cromwell was eventually arrested the following day.