Court Report

Jailed for driving offenses

A Hantsport man has received jail sentences for driving offenses he committed last June.

Branson Matthew Crewe, 25, pleaded guilty in Kentville provincial court Tuesday, Sept. 11 to having care and control of a motor vehicle while his blood-alcohol level exceeded the legal limit and to driving while disqualified, both contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.

Judge Tufts sentenced Crewe to five months in custody for the first offense and one month for the second.

The first sentence is actually three months in length, Crewe having received two months’ credit for time he had spent in remand. The sentences will be served consecutively.

The judge also imposed a three-year, cross-Canada driving prohibition on Crewe for the care and control offense. The Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match that ban for driving in the province.

Crewe committed the offenses at Lumsden Pond June 20 when police found he had blood-alcohol readings of 120 and 110 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

The legal limit is 80 mg/100 ml.

The Crown had also advised Crewe that heavier penalties would be recommended because of his recent refusal convictions. Crewe had been in remand between June 21 and July 17.

Assault, failure to attend net CSO

An assault and failure to attend court have netted a conditional sentence for a young Yarmouth man.

A Native sentencing circle imposed a six-month conditional sentence, followed by two years of reporting probation, on Brian Joseph Deveau, 19, Friday, Sept. 7 for aggravated assault and failing to attend court as ordered.

The sentencing circle took place at the Kings County council chambers, with Judge Claudine MacDonald.

The sentence involves a curfew as well as Deveau taking any assessment, counselling or treatment recommended by Corrections officials, efforts in work or education, bans on possessing and/or consuming alcoholic beverages and/or non-medically prescribed drugs, and a 10-year, six-month firearms prohibition.

Deveau committed the aggravated assault in Kentville Sept. 30, 2006 and the failure to attend Dec. 11. The court found him guilty of the charges May 7.

He had been in remand with consent since March 7.

Probation for weapon, drugs, resisting, breach

Judge Tufts suspended sentencing in Kentville provincial court Monday, Sept. 10 on Wolfville resident Donald Jacob Briggs, 19, for convictions of carrying a concealed weapon, a knife; resisting a police officer in the execution of duties; failing to comply with probation conditions; and possession of ecstasy, a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The judge then imposed a term of 12 months’ reporting probation on Briggs for the offenses.

Probationary conditions include, among others, a curfew; assessment, counselling or treatment recommended by Corrections officials; and bans on Briggs associating with those with criminal, youth or drug records, possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or non-medically prescribed drugs.

Briggs committed the offense in Kentville Oct. 12, 2006. The court found him guilty of the charges June 19.

Refused to give breath sample

New Minas resident Ian Fraser Henderson, 24, pleaded guilty Sept. 10 to refusing to give a breath sample for blood-alcohol analysis.

Judge Tufts fined Henderson $750 plus a $112.50 victim surcharge, or 14 days in custody on willful default. He also prohibited the accused from driving in Canada for a year, a ban the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor vehicles will at least match.

Henderson committed the refusal in North Kingston June 30.

Didn’t attend, drove while privilege revoked

Berwick resident Jonathan Perry Wamboldt, 22, pleaded guilty Sept. 10 to failing to attend court as ordered, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada, and to driving while his privilege of obtaining a driver’s license was suspended, contrary to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act (MVA).

Judge Tufts fined Wamboldt $150 plus a $22.50 victim surcharge, or two days in custody on willful default, for the Criminal Code offense, and $500 plus a $75 victim surcharge for the MVA conviction.

Wamboldt committed the MVA offense in Berwick March 13 and the failure to attend court in Kentville April 30.

Drove without insurance

Kentville resident Philip Alan Coldwell, 55, pleaded guilty Sept. 10 to driving without the required liability insurance, contrary to the Motor Vehicles Act.

Judge Tufts fined Coldwell $500. Coldwell committed the offense in New Minas June 1.