The overconsumption of alcohol continues to plague the community, as shown by the number of people in Moose Jaw provincial court recently who pleaded guilty to various offences involving the bubbly.
Austin Tyler Inkster
Austin Tyler Inkster, 23, from Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance and received a fine of $150, with one month to pay, and a $45 victim surcharge.
Police were called to The Crushed Can Sports Bar and Nightclub on Nov. 22, 2019 at 11:50 p.m. for an intoxicated man causing a disturbance, explained Crown prosecutor Stephen Yusuff. Staff attempted to remove Inkster from the building since he was aggressively confronting patrons and employees. Even the manager asked him to leave.
Officers noticed that he was heavily intoxicated when they found him in the parking lot. They told him to leave or he would be arrested. When he refused, they acted and took him to the police station.
Judge Brian Hendrickson noted that was a bad night for Inkster. He wondered if the man needed programming for alcohol issues. Inkster said he didn’t and that this was simply an uncharacteristic thing he did.
Opiew Cham Andrew
Opiew Cham Andrew, 36, from Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to comply with conditions of his probation, namely, not consuming alcohol or being in a place that sells such liquids.
He was given two months to pay a $250 fine and will also have to pay a victim surcharge of $75.
Andrew was placed on a year-long probation on Feb. 20, 2019, with one condition to not consume drugs or alcohol, said Yusuff. Nearly 11 months later, on Dec. 1, 2019, Moose Jaw police were called to an apartment building around 7:07 a.m. about a disturbance.
Andrew was outside the building when police arrived and they noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from him. He was co-operative with police until they arrested him, at which point he became belligerent, especially when he was put into the police car.
After he was released, Andrew told police he had no memory of being arrested, said Yusuff. He also told police drinking causes him to have problems.
“This has to stop at some time,” Yusuff continued. “I hope he learns his lesson (from this). He has a long history of breaches. At some point, the Crown will take (a more) strict position.”
John Michael Campbell
John Michael Campbell, 38, from Gravelbourg, pleaded guilty to having a blood alcohol content (BA) level over the legal limit of .08 and received a $2,000 fine and one-year driving ban. He was given six months to pay the fine.
The Crown stayed a charge of operating a vehicle while impaired.
Police were conducting traffic stops near Moose Jaw on Jan. 3 when at 10:27 p.m. they noticed a 1986 brown Ford travelling south on Highway 2 past the Ministry of Highways complex, said Yusuff. The vehicle was swerving and crossed the centre line twice.
When police pulled over Campbell, he said he had had one drink at 5 p.m. However, officers noticed he had watery eyes and had trouble with his balance while walking to the police cruiser. Campbell gave two breath samples, both of which came back at .190, or more than twice the legal limit.
Judge Hendrickson noted that while Campbell was co-operative with police, the fact he had high readings and could have hurt others weighed against him. The judge accepted the Crown’s sentence recommendation.
Christopher Joel Hamre
Christopher Joel Hamre, 36, from Moose Jaw, pleaded guilty to breaching his undertaking — violating a court order — by possessing and consuming alcohol. He received a fine of $150, with three months to pay, and a victim surcharge of $45.
The Crown stayed another charge of breach of undertaking.
Hamre was given bail on Jan. 1, 2019 and placed on an undertaking, with conditions that included he not consume or possess drugs, alcohol or cannabis or visit any place that sells such products, explained Yusuff. Nearly a year later, on Nov. 8, 2019, he broke that promise.
Police were called to Dooly’s Billiards and Lounge at 9:51 p.m. in response to an “unwanted guest,” the Crown prosecutor continued. Officers located Hamre in the parking lot and noticed he smelled of alcohol and was intoxicated. He was arrested and later released.
Hamre told the judge his problem isn’t necessarily with alcohol, but the fact he suffers from a mental illness, which is the bigger issue. Mental health professionals will visit his home soon for a meeting to determine how best to help him.
Moose Jaw provincial court next sits on Jan. 27.
