Man fined for resisting arrest at St. Albert casino
A man was fined after pleading guilty in July to one count of obstructing a peace officer.
Robert Jeffery Kuspira appeared in St. Albert Provincial Court by CCTV from the Drumheller Institution, and was sentenced to a $500 fine by Judge Gord Putnam on July 11.
St. Albert RCMP responded to a complaint at the Century Casino on April 5, according to the agreed statement of facts.
Officers located Kuspira and found that he had warrants. Kuspira fled on foot and resisted arrest, but he was ultimately handcuffed and taken into custody.
Kuspira has a criminal record, with multiple breaches of court orders and property offences, court heard. Crown prosecutor Crystal Robertson said Kuspira showed responsibility by pleading guilty to the offence while the charge was still in docket court.
The fine was reached by joint submission from Robertson and defence counsel Kristina Tiessen.
Man gets suspended sentence for co-worker assault
An Edmonton man received a suspended sentence and was ordered to pay restitution on lost wages and a damaged iPhone 12 in July.
Michael Andrew Ryan, 38, pleaded guilty at St. Albert Provincial Court on July 11 to assaulting his co-worker at a St. Albert Canadian Brewhouse. Judge Gord Putnam gave Ryan a 24-month suspended sentence and a standalone restitution order of $2,000.
On Feb. 19, the complainant, who worked in the kitchen, was sweeping the floor at around 10:45 p.m., and Ryan, who was his supervisor, threw cheese on the floor in front of him as he swept. A verbal disagreement followed, court heard.
The complainant took out the trash and came back into the kitchen. Ryan hit the complainant’s cellphone out of his hands and the iPhone 12 smashed on the floor, rendering it inoperable.
Ryan then punched the complainant in the face and attempted to throw him down a flight of stairs, court heard.
The complainant reported the incident to St. Albert RCMP on Feb. 22. Police obtained corroborating surveillance footage of the attack, as well as photographs of the victim's torn shirt and subsequent bruising.
Crown prosecutor Crystal Robertson said mitigating factors included Ryan accepting responsibility early on, however the assault itself was an aggravating factor, as it was continuous, and Ryan attempted to throw the complainant down a flight of stairs.
“I need you to take this seriously,” Putnam said as he told Ryan to take active participation in anger management courses.
Ryan received a 24-month suspended sentence, which includes keeping the peace; counselling for anger management; 70 hours of community service within 18 months; and a restitution order of $1,300 for the iPhone and $700 for lost wages.
