A string of driving offences netted a 30-day jail sentence for Daniel M. McDermott, who pleaded guilty in St. Albert Provincial Court Wednesday to operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
On May 21 a St. Albert RCMP officer noticed expired stickers on the licence plate of a vehicle and upon searching the vehicle database, found the vehicle was not registered, said Crown prosecutor John Donahoe.
McDermott admitted to the officer that he did not have a licence. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
“I apologize for wasting the court’s time,” McDermott said.
“You’re wasting a lot of your own time,” said Judge Brice Garriock. “Driving is a privilege, not a right.”
McDermott has a record with numerous similar convictions.
A St. Albert man was handed 21 days behind bars and 18 months probation after a domestic dispute turned violent.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded guilty to assault and making threats to cause death.
Donahoe told the court that the victim called 911 on July 6 after a series of events left her fearing for her life. He said the domestic dispute began at roughly 7 p.m. and shortly after the man held a hammer above a knife pointed at his chest and told the victim, “It could be you, it could be me.”
The victim tried to leave the apartment, but the man pulled her back inside the dwelling and locked the door. He threw her on an air mattress and tried to choke her, but she managed to distract him and made her way into the hallway. She was able to escape the situation and call police.
The man spent 21 days in pre-sentence custody and was given credit for time served. He was ordered to have no contact with the female and must take counselling as directed by a probation officer, particularly relating to domestic violence and substance abuse.
Donahoe dropped two additional charges for choking with the intent to harm and unlawful confinement.
A woman is facing a $300 fine after stealing several packages of razor blades from a local grocery store.
Jewel Fiona LaChance appeared in court via closed-circuit television from the Edmonton Remand Centre, pleading guilty to theft under $5,000 and failing to appear in court.
Donahoe told the court that on April 29, 2011, LaChance and another female placed earrings and 13 packages of razor blades, valued at $430.30, into a bag before walking out of the store without paying.
She received four days in jail for failing to appear in court, and was given credit for time served.
Justin B. Margetson has a hefty fine to pay after he pleaded guilty to shooting fireworks from his vehicle earlier this year. On April 11, the individual was driving the vehicle that was shooting fireworks at passing motorists, Donahoe said.
Margetson was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving, for which he was handed a $2,000 fine.
“(It is) a very substantial fine, but necessary,” Donahoe said, adding it was a “stupid situation.”
Margetson was handed a conditional discharge with one year probation for the mischief charge and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1779.23 for the damages to a passing car.
“This is something that will hopefully bring it home that we cannot have this kind of behaviour,” said defence counsel Peter Shipanoff.
“I just really want to put this behind me and move on from here,” Margetson said.
