The former owner of a now-defunct St. Albert pawnshop was handed a 20-day sentence for shoplifting on Monday.
Kenneth Angus Campbell, who is still facing far more serious assault charges in Edmonton, pleaded guilty to a single count of theft as well as breaches of his probation and bail conditions on his first court appearance Monday.
On Nov. 15 a store security officer spotted him at Walmart, concealing two bottles of melatonin in a plastic bag before walking out of the store with him.
The bottles had a value of $19 and might have netted a shorter sentence if not for Campbell’s criminal record. The record dates back to the early 1970s with a collection of minor offences.
Campbell was given eight days of credit for the time he has already been in jail and will have 12 days left to serve.
Campbell has a lengthy history in St. Albert. For many years he operated the city’s only pawnshop, even working with the city at one point to help draw up a land-use bylaw change for second-hand stores.
Police raided the shop, St. Albert Loans and Exchange, in 2004 and found several items of stolen property.
In 2005, he was granted a conditional discharge on a single count of possession of stolen property with the primary condition being that he not operate a business anywhere within St. Albert’s city limits.
He is still facing an outstanding charge of aggravated assault on an Edmonton pawnshop owner. That incident took place in March and the preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for May 2011.
A woman caught stealing more than $700 worth of merchandise from a local store was sentenced to 30 days in jail last week.
Melissa Grant pleaded guilty to a single count of theft on Nov. 15.
She was arrested Nov. 11 after store security caught her and several other people putting several items into a shopping cart and then simply walking out the door.
She had already been in custody for several days when she pleaded guilty Monday, but she will not be credited for the time served.
The shopping cart had a wide collection of merchandise including a cookware set and a Rubbermaid tote, adding up to a total value of $728.
Grant has a lengthy record for similar offences, which in large part led to the jail sentence.
A 19-year-old woman who left a local police officer with a bloody nose was sentenced to 18 months of probation Nov. 15.
Alison Norris pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm for the melee with a local officer and was handed a suspended sentence.
Norris phoned 911 on April 22 at around 3 a.m. saying she had been in an argument with her boyfriend.
When police arrived, they found a very intoxicated Norris yelling and screaming on her front steps and decided to take her into custody.
When Norris was being placed into a cell later that morning, she began fighting with police and, during a struggle, flung her head back, right into the nose of a local officer.
The officer initially thought her nose might be broken, but it was only bleeding.
During her 18 months of probation, Norris will have to abstain completely from alcohol and take any counselling her probation officer recommends.
Norris apologized to the court and said she had stayed away from alcohol since the incident.
Judge Charles Gardener encouraged the young woman to look at the incident as a warning sign.
“You have to get your consumption of alcohol under control.”
An intoxicated man who punched a cab driver in the face was handed a $500 fine last week.
Jamie Lee Janes, 23, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault on Monday.
Police were called on July 24 this year after Janes got into an argument with the driver, though Crown prosecutor Scott Pittman noted it had nothing to do with the fare.
Janes then punched the driver in the side of the face.
The driver was not badly hurt and there were no lasting marks.
Noting his lack of a criminal record, Judge Dan Gardner agreed to a joint submission proposed by the Crown and defence for a $500 fine.
He will also have to pay a $75 victim surcharge.
