BY KEITH LACEY
Darrell Bushey says he might have been naive and stupid, but he?s not a criminal. His name has been cleared following a court hearing Tuesday.
Bushey, 26, who has no criminal record, was charged with numerous serious counts, including robbery and break and enter following a brutal home invasion of an elderly woman in February.
The senior was beaten, tied up and robbed of jewelry, credit cards and other possessions.
Two other Sudbury men, Robert Bisschops and Larry Swanson, pleaded guilty to the home invasion. Swanson was given a four-year penitentiary term. Bisschops committed suicide while in jail awaiting sentencing.
The court heard Bushey was simply a chauffeur on the day in question and was not aware of any crimes being committed.
Bisschops and Swanson convinced him they needed a ride to pick up some money owed to them, said assistant Crown attorney Alex Kurke.
After the violent attack, Swanson and Bisschops never mentioned what had transpired. Bushey drove them back home.
While it would not be unreasonable to assume Bushey should have been curious about what was going on, there?s ?absolutely no evidence? to suggest Bushey had any knowledge or participated in any way in any criminal activity, said Kurke.
When Bushey saw a television report indicating police were looking for a certain vehicle that matched the description of the car he owned, he figured out what had taken place and contacted police.
Bushey told reporters he lost his job after he was charged.
However, he has found part-time work and is looking forward to the birth of his first child.
It took a lot of patience and comfort from his girlfriend, who is now eight months pregnant, to remain calm and know the truth would finally be revealed, said Bushey.
?Things could have turned out a lot worse...there?s a real sense of relief, but I?m glad the truth finally came out.?
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