Man found in garage had no 'ulterior purpose,' says crown
A man found sitting in a truck in a garage in Sturgeon County was sentenced last week in Morinville Provincial Court.
Dakota Bull-St. Denis, 20, of Edmonton, pleaded guilty to one charge of being unlawfully in a dwelling. Judge B. R. Garriock handed him a 15-month conditional sentence on July 28, which included 50 hours of community service.
The sentence was a joint submission by Crown prosecutor Ian Ross and defence counsel Heather Gagnier.
Ross read the agreed statement of facts. On Aug. 18, 2021, at about 8:18 a.m., Morinville RCMP received a call about a disturbance in a Sturgeon County home, court heard.
The homeowner entered their garage and found Bull-St. Denis sitting in a truck. The homeowner directed Bull-St. Denis to leave, which he did.
Officers then saw Bull-St. Denis in the homeowner’s driveway, court heard.
Mitigating factors the court considered included an early guilty plea and no previous criminal record.
Ross said it was a discomforting situation for the homeowners, but that Bull-St.Denis "had no ulterior purpose."
Man who followed woman on highway gets one-month sentence
An Edmonton man who followed a woman for a lengthy period on the highway and through back roads pleaded guilty in court last week.
Tomasz Smarowski, 47, of Edmonton, will serve a total of 32 days in custody after pleading guilty to one count of criminal harassment and two separate charges of failing to appear in court on July 28 in Morinville Provincial Court.
According to the agreed statement of facts read by Crown prosecutor Ian Ross, on Aug. 22, 2020, at 6:45 p.m., Morinville RCMP received a frantic call from a woman who stated she was being followed.
Smarowski had followed the woman in his car as she drove from 97th Street in Edmonton, through Sturgeon County, to Westlock County, court heard.
The woman drove on the side of the road to allow Smarowski to pass but he continued to follow her down rural roads in the county.
The woman called her parents, said Ross, and they were able to help box him in on a rural property until officers arrived and arrested him.
Smarowski missed docket court dates related to the charge in September 2021 and November 2021.
Ross said a period of custody would be appropriate, as the experience caused a great deal of terror for the woman who was followed for an extended period of time.
Duty counsel said Smarowski had no prior criminal record as an adult.
Smarowski was on drugs at the time, court heard, and thought the car was following him. He did not know who was in the car, as the windows were tinted.
Smarowski could not attend his court dates as he was homeless and no longer had his car, court heard.
Judge B.R. Garriock sentenced Smarowski, who appeared from the Edmonton Remand Centre by CCTV, to 30 days for the criminal harassment charge, and one day each for failing to appear in court.
