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Nic Name · 06-13-2002, 07:54 PM

American sentenced to three years for hijacking Air Canada plane in 1971

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

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(06-12) 11:23 PDT TORONTO (AP) --

An American who hijacked an Air Canada flight in 1971 was sentenced Wednesday to three years in jail, 30 years after the only successful hijacking in Canadian history.

Patrick Critton, 54, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and extortion.

U.S. police had been after Critton for an armed robbery that led to a shootout in 1971. On Dec. 26 of that year, he hijacked an Air Canada flight from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Toronto, where he allowed the passengers off the plane. He then forced the crew to fly him to Cuba.

He was jailed in Cuba, then disappeared after his release.

A Canadian police investigator entered his name in an Internet search engine last year and came up with one reference to a Patrick Critton in Westchester County, New York. Fingerprints from that Critton matched those of the hijacker.

With no pending U.S. charges from the armed robbery in 1971, Critton was extradited to Canada to stand trial in the hijacking case.

Prosecutor Mark Saltmarsh sought a sentence of 10 to 12 years, while Critton's lawyer, Irving Andre, asked for a three-to-six year sentence, noting the passengers of the hijacked plane were released and no one was hurt.

06-13-2002, 07:54 PM	#40
Nic Name retired Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,930	This ain't Texas! American sentenced to three years for hijacking Air Canada plane in 1971 Wednesday, June 12, 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (06-12) 11:23 PDT TORONTO (AP) -- An American who hijacked an Air Canada flight in 1971 was sentenced Wednesday to three years in jail, 30 years after the only successful hijacking in Canadian history. Patrick Critton, 54, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and extortion. U.S. police had been after Critton for an armed robbery that led to a shootout in 1971. On Dec. 26 of that year, he hijacked an Air Canada flight from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Toronto, where he allowed the passengers off the plane. He then forced the crew to fly him to Cuba. He was jailed in Cuba, then disappeared after his release. A Canadian police investigator entered his name in an Internet search engine last year and came up with one reference to a Patrick Critton in Westchester County, New York. Fingerprints from that Critton matched those of the hijacker. With no pending U.S. charges from the armed robbery in 1971, Critton was extradited to Canada to stand trial in the hijacking case. Prosecutor Mark Saltmarsh sought a sentence of 10 to 12 years, while Critton's lawyer, Irving Andre, asked for a three-to-six year sentence, noting the passengers of the hijacked plane were released and no one was hurt.