Court Report

Assaults, fraud, dangerous driving, leaving scene

A man of no fixed address will be behind bars for the next while for assaults, dangerous driving, leaving the scene of an accident and fraud.

Michael Wade Crouse, 45, pleaded guilty in Kentville provincial court Tuesday, Oct. 7 to two counts of assault, driving in a manner dangerous to the public and attempting to avoid liability by leaving the scene of an accident in which he was involved.

The court had already found him guilty Sept. 10 of fraud involving property valued at less than $5,000.

For the fraud, Judge Alan Tufts sentenced Crouse to one month custody; for the first assault, one month in custody and an order to provide a DNA sample; for the dangerous driving, one month custody consecutive; second assault, one month concurrent; and leaving the scene, one month concurrent.

Judge Tufts prohibited Crouse from driving in Canada for a year for the dangerous driving conviction, a term the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match.

Crouse committed the first assault in Canning, between Feb. 1 and 15, 2004; the second assault, Canning, between Feb. 15 and 21; the dangerous driving and leaving the scene offenses in New Minas June 22, 2004. He committed the fraud in Somerset, July 11, 2008.

Crouse has been in remand by consent from Aug. 27.

Jailed for theft, breach

Coldbrook resident Shawn Leonard Gallagher, 32, pleaded guilty Oct. 7 to theft of property valued at less than $5,000 and to failing to comply with a probation order.

Judge Tufts sentenced Gallagher to three months in custody each for the convictions, to be served concurrently.

Gallagher committed the theft and breach in Canning April 25.

Refused to breathe

Judge Tufts found Greenwood resident Danny Patrick Lewis, 39, guilty Oct. 7 of refusing to provide a breath sample for blood-alcohol analysis.

The judge fined Lewis $700 plus a $100 victim surcharge, or 12 days in custody on willful default, and prohibited him from driving in Canada for a year.

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

Lewis committed the refusal in Greenwood Jan. 13.

Probation for thefts

Port Williams resident Betty Mae Morgan, 57, pleaded guilty Tuesday, Oct. 7 to two counts of theft of property valued at less than $5,000.

Judge Claudine MacDonald suspended sentencing on Morgan for the convictions and imposed a term of six months non-reporting probation on her.

Morgan committed the first theft at a New Minas department store March 1, 2007 and the second at another department store in the same community Nov. 16.

Used cellphone while driving

Judge Tufts fined Kentville resident Nicole E. Carver, 28, $50 plus a $7.50 victim surcharge and $107 in costs, Monday, Oct. 6 for driving while using a cellphone, contrary to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act.

Carver committed the offense in New Minas July 27. She pleaded guilty to the charge Sept. 22 and requested a remission of penalty, which the court denied.

Curative discharge

Judge Tufts granted a curative treatment discharge to Grafton resident Catherine Marie Wade, 44, Oct. 7 for having care and control of a vehicle while her blood-alcohol reading exceeded the legal limit. The discharge is pending 18 months’ treatment, during which Wade must take any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment, and refrain from the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The charge stemmed from an incident in Berwick March 14 when police found Wade had blood-alcohol readings of 310 and 300 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg/100 ml.

Wade pleaded guilty to the charge July 29. At that time, the court also prohibited her from driving in Canada for a year, a period the Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match.

Granted conditional discharge

Judge MacDonald granted a conditional discharge Oct. 8 to Cumberland Bay, New Brunswick, resident James Robert Newcombe, 18, on a charge of harassment. The discharge is pending one-year probation, conditions of which include Newcombe having no contact with a specific person and taking any recommended assessment, counselling or treatment.

The charge resulted from an incident in Coldbrook May 23. Newcombe pleaded guilty to the charge Oct. 8.