Photo: RCMP

Tayler Verhaegen pleaded guilty to robbing a Kelowna bank in 2014.

A Kelowna judge took “a chance” on a young bank robber Wednesday, releasing him from jail after he served 164 days of presentence custody.

Tayler Verhaegen robbed the BMO Bank of Montreal in the Capri Centre Mall on Dec. 23, 2014, before his two brothers notified police after seeing security footage of Verhaegen posted on Castanet.

Verhaegen, 23 at the time, was found by police on Dec. 27, 2014 at a poker table at Kelowna’s Lake City Casino with $1,500 in cash and $219 in casino chips. He was promptly arrested.

On Wednesday, Verhaegen pleaded guilty to robbery, scrapping plans for a jury trial in February. 

During sentencing submissions Wednesday, Verhaegen's lawyer, Joseph Deuling, claimed the money Verhaegen had on him when he was arrested wasn’t from the robbery and he still has the $3,000 hidden somewhere. But he’s agreed to give it back.

“He got it into his head that money didn't exist and it didn't make any difference so he thought he would rob a bank and prove it,” Deuling said, describing this as a “weird, weird explanation.”

Justice Michael Brundrett said it showed a lack of maturity.

While Verhaegen has been formally diagnosed with ADHD, Deuling said he may have some other mental health issues “swirling around.”

While Verhaegen had no criminal record prior to the robbery, he has since been convicted of obstruction of justice after he threatened a witness who was set to to testify at his trial that never ended up occurring.

Verhaegen was sentenced to 238 days in jail for the obstruction conviction in October 2016.

He has dropped several of his defence lawyers over the three years his case took to get to trial, twice right before he was set to begin a jury trial.

Verhaegen says the robbery was the “stupidest thing he’s ever done,” and apologized to the bank tellers he frightened during the robbery.

“I’m going to ask you to give Mr. Verhaegen a break,” Deuling told Justice Brundrett, when asking for a sentence of time already served. Justice Brundrett granted that break, noting Verhaegen appears to be at “a crossroads in his life.”

“Mr. Verhaegen, I'm going to take a chance on you and depart from the normal range of sentencing,” Justice Brundrett said. “With your family support, with the opportunities that await you and with proper supervision ... it is a reasonable bet that you will not repeat your foolish behaviour going forward.

“This is a one-time deal.”

Verhaegen was given enhanced credit for presentence custody of eight months and one week.

In addition to time served, Verhaegen was given probation for the next 18 months, which includes a stipulation to seek any psychological treatment directed by his probation officer. He was also ordered to pay back the $3,000 stolen from the bank.

Verhaegen has been accepted into UBC Okanagan and plans to attend in January.