Kentville provincial court

Fines, probation for offenses

The court has fined and imposed a probation term on an Aylesford man for a number of Criminal Code and Nova Scotia Motor vehicle Act offenses he committed in 2006 and 2007.

Judge Alan Tufts suspended sentencing Wednesday, July 30, on Matthew Alan Durling, 21, and imposed a term of 12 months reporting probation on him for two counts of failing to comply with a probation order, and possessing property valued at less than $5,000 and known to have been unlawfully obtained.

The judge also fined Durling $1,000 for driving without the required liability insurance, and $500 for driving while his privilege of obtaining a license was revoked, both contrary to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act (MVA).

Durling committed the first probation breach between Dec. 12, 2006, and June 11, 2007, when he failed to make a $400 charitable donation to the Red Door, and the second breach June 12, 2007, when he failed to report to Corrections officials. He committed the possession at Dempsey Corner Dec. 25, the same date he committed the two MVA offenses.

Durling pleaded guilty to the charges June 2.

More than twice the limit

The court has fined an Alberta man for driving with blood-alcohol readings that were twice the legal limit.

Dwayne Reid Alders, 26, High River, Alberta, pleaded guilty July 30 to driving while his blood-alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.

Judge Tufts fined Alders $900 plus a $135 victim surcharge, or 15 days in custody on willful default, and prohibited him from driving in Canada for a year.

The Nova Scotia Registry of Motor vehicles will ban Alders from driving in the province for at least a year.

Alders committed the offense in Kentville May 18, when police found that he had blood-alcohol readings of 190 and 180 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. This is more than twice the legal limit of 80 mg/100 ml.

The Criminal Code also allows for heavier penalties for breathalyzer convictions involving readings in excess of 160 mg/100 ml.

Probation for assault

Coldbrook resident James Leroy Mailman, 58, pleaded guilty July 30 to uttering a threat to cause death or bodily harm.

Judge Claudine MacDonald suspended sentencing on Mailman on the conviction and imposed a term of 18 months reporting probation on him.

Probation conditions include Mailman taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment, and his having no contact or communications with the victim.

Mailman committed the assault in Coldbrook May 8.

Committed assault

Kentville resident Michael Donald Salsman, 27, pleaded guilty July 30 to assault.

Judge Tufts suspended sentencing on Salsman and imposed a term of 12 months reporting probation on him.

Probation conditions include that Salsman take any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment and not initiate communications with the victim.

Salsman committed the assault in Kentville may 5.

Uttered threat

Kelsey Corey Clarke, 26, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty July 30 to uttering a threat to cause death to a person.

Judge MacDonald suspended sentencing on Clarke and imposed a term of 18 months reporting probation on him.

Probation conditions include Clarke taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment, refraining from possessing or consuming non-medically prescribed drugs, and having no contact with the victim or going near that person’s place of residence.

Clarke uttered the threat in Kentville June 13.

Fined for breach

Kentville resident Robert Wayne Graves, 61, pleaded guilty July 30 to failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge MacDonald fined Graves $100 plus a $15 victim surcharge, or one day in custody on willful default.

Graves committed the breach May 5.

Granted conditional discharge

Judge Tufts granted a conditional discharge July 30 to Coldbrook resident Darrell Steven Peterson, 41, for a charge of assault. The discharge is spending 12 months reporting probation, conditions of which include that Peterson take any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment and refrain from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages.

The charge stemmed from an incident in Coldbrook April 29 and May 2. Peterson pleaded guilty to the charge July 30.

In other court matters

Judge MacDonald found Gospel Road resident Gerald Anthony Morine, 48, guilty July 30 of two counts of failing to register a dog, contrary to the Kings County Animal Control bylaws.

The judge fined Morine $100 plus a $15 victim surcharge and $107 costs, or 30 days in custody on willful default, for each of the offenses.

Morine committed the offenses on Gospel Road June 8. --

New Minas resident Keagan Richard Penney, 20, pleaded guilty July 30 to not using an available seatbelt, contrary to the MVA, and asked for a remission of penalty.

Judge MacDonald denied the remission and fined Penney $50 plus a $7.50 victim surcharge and $107 costs.

Penney committed the offense in north Kentville May 28.