Kings court report to Jan. 25

Jail, probation for fraud, breach

The court has sentenced a Waterville man to jail and a probationary term for three counts of defrauding individuals and failing to comply with a probation order.

In Kentville provincial court Tuesday, Jan. 23, Judge Claudine MacDonald sentenced Brandon David Comeau, 21, to two months in custody each for the offenses, to be served concurrently and followed by 12 months of probation.

The judge also ordered Comeau to pay $270 in restitution to one victim and $390 to another.

The probationary conditions include that Comeau have no contact with a specific individual, report to Corrections officials and pay the restitution.

Comeau committed one fraud and the probation breach in Kentville, Dec. 5, 2005 and the other two frauds Jan. 24 and 25, 2006. He pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 28.



Offenses result in jail time

Another Waterville man has received jail terms for assault, mischief, theft and failing to attend court.

Daniel Wayne Surette, 18, pleaded guilty to those charges Jan. 23. Judge Claudine MacDonald sentenced Surette to 45 days in custody for each of the offenses, to be served concurrently.

MacDonald also ordered Surette to pay $307.86 in restitution to the victim of the mischief.

Surette committed the first failure to attend court in Kentville, June 12, 2006; the assault, Berwick, Aug. 5; the theft at a New Minas department store, Aug. 18; the mischief, or property damage, Waterville, Aug. 19; and the second failure to attend court Dec. 13.



Conditional sentence for growing pot

In court Wednesday, Jan. 24, Judge MacDonald imposed a 12-month conditional sentence on Greenwood resident Darren Allen Bowlby, 40, for unlawfully cultivating cannabis marijuana, a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).

The sentence includes four months of house arrest with the usual exceptions for employment, education, appointments and emergencies.

Sentence conditions include visitor limitations as well as a prohibition on Bowlby’s association with those with criminal or drug-related records, and bans on his possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or non-medically prescribed drugs.

MacDonald also imposed an 11-year firearms prohibition and a lifetime ban on restricted weapons on the accused.

The judge forfeited all the related materials – mostly to do with cultivation – found at the scene.

Bowlby committed the offense in Greenwood March 21, 2006. He pleaded guilty to the charge Nov. 12.



Drove with high readings

Dartmouth resident Gary Kenneth Teasdale, 52, pleaded guilty Jan. 24 to driving while his blood-alcohol level exceeded the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Judge Alan Tufts fined Teasdale $950 plus a $142.50 victim surcharge, or 19 days in custody on willful default. He also prohibited him from driving in Canada for two years, a period the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match.

Teasdale committed the offense in Wolfville Aug. 13 when police found he had blood-alcohol readings of 180 and 190 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg/100 ml and the Criminal Code of Canada provides for heavier penalties in those breathalyzer-related cases in which readings exceed 160 mg/ml.



Illegal blood-alcohol level

Greenwood resident Guy Patric Joseph Charrier, 34, pleaded guilty Monday, Jan. 22 to having care and control of a motor vehicle while his blood-alcohol level exceeded the 80 mg/100 ml legal limit.

Judge Claudine MacDonald fined Charrier $800 plus a $120 victim surcharge, or 16 days in custody on willful default. She also prohibited the accused from driving in Canada for a year, a period the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles will at least match.

Charrier committed the offense in Greenwood Dec. 15 when police found he had blood-alcohol readings of 150 and 150 mg/100 ml.



Probation for sexual assault

Hantsport resident John Ambrose Wells, 63, pleaded guilty Jan. 24 to sexual assault.

Judge Tufts suspended sentencing on Wells on the conviction and imposed a term of one-year reporting probation.

Wells committed the sexual assault in Wolfville July 12.



Fined for theft by indictment

Judge MacDonald suspended sentencing Jan. 23 on Waterville resident Kelly Anne Fredericks, 33, on a conviction of theft by indictment and imposed a term of 18 months of reporting probation on her.

She also ordered Fredericks to perform 100 hours of community service work.

Probationary conditions include Fredericks taking any assessment, counselling or treatment recommended by Corrections officials, and not being employed by anyone over the age of 65.

Fredericks committed the theft in Waterville between Jan. 1 and March 15, 2006. The offense included a sale of stolen silverware. Fredericks pleaded guilty Nov. 30.



Conditional discharge for assault

Judge MacDonald granted a conditional discharge Jan. 22 to New Minas resident Tarina Gail Jones, 25, on a charge of assault.

The discharge is pending six months of reporting probation, which includes a condition of the accused taking any assessment, counselling or treatment Corrections officials may recommend.

The charge stemmed from an incident in New Minas Jan. 9. Jones pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 22.



Theft charge gets conditional discharge

Round Hill, Annapolis County, resident Laura Rose Marshall, 20, received a conditional discharge Jan. 22 granted by Judge MacDonald on a charge of theft from a Greenwood department store.

The discharge is pending six months reporting probation and performing 20 hours of community service work.

The charge stemmed from an incident in Greenwood Aug. 31. Marshall pleaded guilty Jan. 22.



Granted conditional discharge

Judge MacDonald granted Berwick resident Justin Dean Ray Avery, 18, a conditional discharge on a charge of failing to comply with a sentence condition to perform 10 hours of community service work.

The discharge is pending six months of reporting probation, including performing 10 hours of community service work.

The charge resulted from a situation between July 6 and Aug. 31, 2006. Avery pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 22.



To trial on charges

A 48-year-old lower Wolfville man will go to trial June 7 on charges of possession of more than three kilograms of cannabis marijuana, a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, for the purpose of trafficking, and of storing a firearm, a loaded shotgun, in a careless manner.

The accused appeared in court Jan. 22 on the charges and pleaded not guilty. Judge MacDonald ordered him to return to court for trial June 7. Police laid the charges last October.



Convicted automatically

In court Jan. 24, Judge Tufts convicted automatically Aylesford resident Rulla Salma Cox, 29, of driving without a license, contrary to the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicles Act.

The judge fined Cox $100 plus a $15 victim surcharge and $100 in costs.

Cox had failed to attend the trial set for the date.

Police laid the charge in Greenwood May 19, 2006. The court had struck a previous guilty plea.



In other court matters

Judge MacDonald found Sheffield Mills resident Judy Lynn Borden, 44, guilty Jan. 23 to being drunk in a public place, contrary to the Nova Scotia Liquor Control Act, and fined her $100.

Borden committed the offense in Kingsport Oct. 2.