Windsor Court Report

Jailed for breathalyzer, other offenses

The court has jailed a Walton man for driving with a high blood-alcohol level, mischief, breaches and disqualified driving.

Justin Blair Shrum, 24, pleaded guilty in Windsor provincial court Tuesday, May 20 to driving while his blood-alcohol readings exceeded the legal level; committing mischief by causing damage to RCMP property; two counts of driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code; failing to comply with a recognizance order and failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge Claudine MacDonald sentenced Shrum to 90 days in custody, followed by 12 months’ probation, for each of the offenses, to be served concurrently with each other.

She also prohibited Shrum from driving in Canada for five years, a ban the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match.

Probationary conditions include Shrum taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment, and refraining from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages or non-medically prescribed drugs.

Shrum committed the breathalyzer and the first disqualified driving offenses and the probation breach in MacKay Section July 28, 2007 when police found he had blood-alcohol readings of 170 and 170 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg/100 ml. As well, the Criminal Code allows for heavier penalties in those breathalyzer convictions in which readings exceed 160 mg/100 ml, and/or there are other aggravating circumstances, such as related charges involved.

Shrum committed the mischief, second disqualified driving and recognizance breach in Noel April 28.

Short sentence for vehicle thefts, breaches

Ellershouse resident Randall Thomas Blanchard, 20, pleaded guilty May 20 to two counts of vehicle thefts, failing to comply with a recognizance order and failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge Claudine MacDonald sentenced Blanchard to one day in custody, deemed served by his court appearance. Blanchard had been remanded since April 30.

Blanchard committed the first vehicle theft in Ellershouse April 21, the second April 28, and the breaches between April 1 and 29.

Probation for threat, breach

Scotch village resident Timothy Lee Lake, 21, pleaded guilty May 20 to failing to comply with a court undertaking. He had already pleaded guilty Oct. 3, 2007 to uttering a threat to do bodily harm to a person.

Judge MacDonald suspended sentencing on Lake for the convictions and imposed a term of one-year probation on him.

Probationary conditions include Lake taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment; refraining from having contact with the victim; and a ban on possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages or non-medically prescribed drugs.

The judge also prohibited Lake from possessing firearms for two years.

Lake uttered the threat in Windsor July 26, 2007 and breached the undertaking April 4, 2008.

Damaged vehicle

Windsor resident Kevin Dale Riley, 31, pleaded guilty May 20 to committing mischief by causing less than $5,000 damage to a vehicle.

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

Riley committed the mischief in Windsor April 5.