ATHABASCA – A 17-year-old from Calling Lake had the riot act read out to him by a variety of court officials who warned him he needed to change his path as he stands on the verge of adulthood.
In Athabasca Court of Justice Sept. 23, the youth, who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty to resisting an officer, obstructing an officer, and three probation breaches, landing himself a year-long probation.
“You understand that as a youth, we are exercising restraint,” said Justice Joanne Heudes, who accepted counsel’s joint submission. “This would have brought you jailtime, and that’s what you’re going to be facing sir, in a very short period of time.
“In three months, you’ve had three fails to appear, and since July you have at least seven charges for non-compliance, and you’re actively hiding (from police) and obstructing justice in your own way.”
The charges came from a period of events over the summer, while the youth was on a probation order for an earlier conviction. On July 27, RCMP attended the youth’s approved residence to execute a warrant. While they were initially told he was present, officers were unable to locate the young man until his grandparent suggested they check the dryer, where he was located. Upon his arrest, suspected methamphetamine was found, as well as cash.
“He’s learned he shouldn’t mix his whites and his colours, and he definitely shouldn’t hide in dryers,” said defence counsel Jerred Moore. Moore said he had talked at length with his client about the future repercussions for such actions, which could include a stay in federal prison.
“He could have quite easily been facing a year, a year-and-a-half in jail, and with his record if he becomes an adult and carries it through, it just means he’s going to be looking at federal sentences,” said Moore.
The dryer incident wasn’t the youth’s only attempt to hide from police. On Aug. 28, he was found at a property in Wabasca with several known gang members. RCMP observed him trying to hide behind a door frame. After initially providing a false name, the young man fled on foot and was arrested after a short foot pursuit through the bush.
He later breached a house arrest order and was in custody at the Edmonton Young Offender Centre from Sept. 7 until his sentencing.
“We’re fast approaching the time where he will be sentenced as an adult,” said Crown prosecutor Matthew Kerr. “This is, in fact, the harshest sentence that (the youth) can receive. He’s been in custody for a significant period of time, which is essentially dead time, so I’ve taken that into consideration as well.”
The youth’s year-long probation order will carry him into adulthood — he’ll turn 18 before it expires — and will expire at the same time as his previous probation order.
“You need to find a new set of friends, you need to find a new direction, and you need to have some self-insight on what it is you’re doing,” said Justice Heudes. “This shouldn’t be fun for you — it shouldn’t be a place you want to be.
“Everybody wants a better future for you — your community needs you, and it needs good strong role models. You should be one.”
