Men involved in assault after New Year’s Eve death clear most counts

BY BRENT FOX

Kings County Register

One of two Kings County men charged with break and entry, kidnapping and assaulting a Kentville man has been acquitted of all charges; the court convicted the second with the assault only.

Judge William Digby found Aldershot resident Gregory Willard Best, 23, not guilty June 26 of break and entry into a residence with intent to commit an indictable offense, assault with a weapon and kidnapping and confinement while using a firearm. Best also received an acquittal for failing to comply with a court undertaking.

The judge found South Alton resident Gary Allan Keddy, 46, not guilty of the break and entry and kidnapping, but guilty of the assault with a weapon.

Judge Digby sentenced Keddy to one day in custody deemed served by his court appearance and imposed a term of one year non-reporting probation on him. The probation condition is Keddy not communicate with specific persons.

The two men had been remanded since January, Best by consent. They had pleaded not guilty to the charges January 10.

The court’s findings followed a two-day trial last week. The charges stemmed from an incident in Kentville January 2, when a man incorrectly thought to have provided a firearm used in an accidental shooting of a teenager New Year’s Eve was assaulted.