In the courts
Published Friday November 21st, 2008
Don's Taxi owners seek warrant info
The trial of local taxi company owners has been adjourned to allow the defence time to review further disclosure from the court.
In Woodstock court Monday, the lawyer for Sonya Nicole MacKenzie and Trevor Grant Hamilton, owners of Don's Taxi in Woodstock, requested information used to obtain a search warrant. The information was sealed by the court, but the request to unseal was agreed to by the Crown.
The couple's trial on charges ranging from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to the Tobacco Tax Act and the Fish and Wildlife Act was set for Monday and Tuesday of this week. Judge William McCarroll adjourned the case to Dec. 15 at 9:30 a.m. to set a new trial date.
Judge makes an ‘exception'
A NBCC Woodstock student was handed what Judge William McCarroll said was an "exception" for a sentence.
Justin George Belanger, 22, of Fredericton was given a conditional discharge with a six-month period of probation for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana. He pleaded guilty to the charge in Woodstock court Tuesday.
Crown prosecutor Ken Oliver said Belanger was one of two men arrested for fighting outside the Woodstock Elk's Club on Sept. 11, 2008. Oliver said officer's responding to the disturbance found one man using his shoe and the other using his belt for weapons.
"They were arguing over a girl," Oliver added.
Upon the arrest, Belanger told police he had "weed" in his pocket. Police discovered a baggie of marijuana, which Belanger said was $50 worth or five grams that he bought off someone he had met at the Elk's Club.
"I am going to do something exceptional here," Judge McCarroll said in sentencing.
Taking into account Belanger is a student with no criminal record, the judge ordered the discharge with a condition of 20 hours of community service.
Put off paying
A Woodstock man who put off paying a restitution order too many times was taken from court in handcuffs Tuesday.
Shawn Robert Cole, 37, of Woodstock was sent to jail for a month after pleading guilty to one count of breaching a probation order. Cole failed to pay a restitution order of $1,093.83 for Brent Clark, the owner of the Suds Or Duds laundromat in Woodstock.
Crown prosecutor Ken Oliver said Cole told his probation officer he would have it paid off on numerous dates, but only ended up paying $150 for the damages he caused to the business.
"He put off payments," said Oliver, adding Cole has various failures to comply with probation orders on his record.
"It ain't like I haven't tried to pay it off," Cole told the court. "I've received many, many job interviews, but I have an extensive criminal record and that makes it hard to get a job."
When it became clear Judge William McCarroll was sentencing him to a jail sentence, Cole made one last plea for house arrest.
"Enough's enough," Judge McCarroll stated. "You are going to jail."
Following the month in jail, Cole will be placed on a two-year term of probation with an order to pay the $943.83 remaining on the restitution order.
Over the limit
A $300 fine was the result of over fishing for one Woodstock man.
Caught with 11 fish in his possession, Kenny Farrell, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing trout over the legal limit.
Department of Natural Resources officers were patrolling JDI woodlands on June 12, 2008, when they veered down a pathway to Feigenspan Lake in York County. The officers observed a man fishing in a canoe. A check of the man later, who turned out to be Farrell, uncovered the 11 trout.
Farrell was fined the minimum and given one month to pay.
Set for trial
A Newburg man is charged with breaking into the same place on consecutive nights.
Kenneth Maxwell Lake, 22, pleaded not guilty in Woodstock court Tuesday to charges of break and enter with intent to commit a crime into the Carleton Civic Centre community room bar in Woodstock on Oct. 16 and 17. He also entered not guilty pleas to counts of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest on Oct. 17.
A trial date was set for April 20 at 1:30 p.m.
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