Court Report

Custody for break-in, breach

An Annapolis county teen has received a jail sentence for break and entry and breaching a probation order.

Spa Springs resident Ryan Alexander Cole, 18, pleaded guilty in Kentville provincial court Monday, April 21 to break and entry and committing an indictable offense, and failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge Alan Tufts sentenced Cole to six months in custody, to be followed by one-year of probation for the break-in, and to one month in custody, to be served consecutively and followed by the probationary term, for the breach.

Probationary conditions including that Cole not contact or communicate with specific persons.

He also ordered Cole to provide a DNA sample to Corrections officials to be kept on file.

Cole committed the breach in Kings County March 2 and the break-in March 10.

Jailed for breathalyzer, mischief

Kentville resident Steven Robert Benjamin, 31, pleaded guilty April 22 to committing mischief. He had pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to having care and control of a motor vehicle while his blood-alcohol readings exceeded the legal limit.

Judge Tufts sentenced Benjamin to 45 days in custody and imposed a term of 12 months’ custody on him for the breathalyzer offense, and sentenced him to a further 15 days, consecutive, and probation for the mischief.

The court on Feb. 25 had prohibited Benjamin from driving in Canada for four years. The Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match that ban on his driving in the province.

Benjamin committed the breathalyzer offense in Sheffield Mills Dec. 30 when police found he blood-alcohol readings of 210 and 200 milligrams or alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg/100 ml.

The Criminal Code of Canada permits heavier penalties for those breathalyzer cases in which readings exceed 160 mg/100 ml, and when there are other aggravating factors such as previous related convictions. Benjamin’s case involved both factors.

Benjamin committed the mischief in Kentville Feb. 17 when he damaged property at a pub.

Probationary conditions include Benjamin taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment, and refraining from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages.

Jailed for breaches, CDSA offense

Kentville resident James Philip Corbin, 18, pleaded guilty April 22 to possession of cannabis marijuana, a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), failing to comply with a court undertaking and failing to comply with a recognizance.

Judge Tufts sentenced Corbin to 28 days in custody on each of the offenses, to be served concurrently with each other.

Corbin committed the offenses April 21.

Damaged property, breached recognizance

Burlington resident Kayla Leigh Crouse, 20, pleaded guilty April 21 to damaging property and to failing to comply with a recognizance order.

Judge Tufts imposed a term of six months’ probation on Crouse for the offenses and ordered her to pay $423.75 in restitution.

Probatioary conditions include Crouse having no contact with the victim and making the restitution. Crouse committed the offenses in Harbourville Feb. 16.

Fined for refusal

Canning resident Barbara Arlene Rogers, 46, pleaded guilty April 21 to refusing to provide a suitable breath sample for blood-alcohol analysis.

Judge Tufts fined Rogers $900 plus a $135 victim surcharge, or 17 days in custody on willful default, and prohibited him from driving in Canada for a year.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles will ban Rogers from driving in the province for at least a year.

Rogers committed the refusal in Greenwich March 12.

Drove disqualified, breached probation

Canning resident Donald Andrew Dean, 21, pleaded guilty April 21 to driving wile disqualified and to failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge Tufts fined Dean $500 plus a $75 victim surcharge, or nine days in custody on willful default for the driving offense, and $250 plus a $37.50 victim surcharge, or four days, for the breach.

Dean committed the offenses in Kentville March 9.

Fined for breach

Waterville resident Lewis Wade Thorpe, 45, pleaded guilty April 21 to failing to comply with an undertaking.

Judge Tufts fined Thorpe $400 plus a $60 victim surcharge, or seven days in custody on willful default.

Thorpe committed the breach in Waterville March 20 when he failed to comply with a condition that he not consume any alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants.

In other court matters

Kingston resident Christopher Michael Spinney, 29, pleaded guilty Wednesday, April 23 to driving more than 30 kilometers per hour in excess to the posted speed limit, contrary to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act (MVA).

Judge Claudine MacDonald fined Spinney $250 plus a $37.50 victim surcharge and $107 in costs, and suspended his license between Sept. 21 and 28.

Spinney committed the offense on Highway 101 near Avonport Oct. 6, 2007.

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Aylesford resident Rodney Kenneth Easson, 22, pleaded guilty April 21 to driving between 16 and 30 kilometres per hour over the posted limit, contrary to the MVA. He requested a remission of penalty, which the court denied.

Judge Tufts fined Easson $150 plus a $22.50 victim surcharge and $107 in costs and suspended his driver’s license from April 22-29.

Easson committed the offense on Highway 101 near Exit 15 Feb. 21.

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Judge MacDonald found Kingston resident Frank Thomas Davies, 74, guilty April 23 of unsafely changing lanes, contrary to the MVA, and fined him $100 plus a $15 victim surcharge and $107 in costs.

Davies committed the offense on Highway 101 near Berwick Aug. 21.

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Kentville resident Donna Lynne Holmes, 43, pleaded guilty April 23 to displaying a cancelled number plate on her vehicle, contrary to the MVA, and requested a remission of penalty.

Granting the remission, Judge MacDonald fined Holmes $50 plus a $7.50 victim surcharge and $100 in costs less $82.50, for a total fine of $75.

Holmes committed the offense in Kentville Oct. 30.

Convicted automatically

Judge Tufts convicted automatically Waterville resident William J. Pasley, 43, April 21 of driving an unregistered vehicle, contrary to the Government Properties Traffic Regulations (GPTR).

The judge fined Pasley $50 plus a $7.50 victim surcharge and $107 in costs.

Police laid the charge on the Ward Road March 14.