Consuming hard drugs made Paul Reynolds Cook do things he rarely remembered afterward, such as doing odd things in St. Margaret School’s playground and forcing the building into lockdown mode.
The school called police around 10:54 a.m. on May 2, 2023, because Cook was “acting strange” in the schoolyard by running in circles and back and forth, Crown prosecutor Monique Paquin said in Moose Jaw Provincial Court recently while reading the facts.
Officers arrived and challenged Cook about his behaviour, prompting him to run away. He ended up back in the schoolyard but refused to listen to their commands and resisted arrest by kicking and pulling his arms away.
“Police sustained minor injuries — such as scrapes and scratches — while trying to arrest Mr. Cook,” Paquin said, noting his actions prompted school officials to lock down the building until police said it was safe to reopen.
Two months later, on July 23, Cook — again high on drugs — visited his sister’s home and knocked on the doors and windows, even though a court order prohibited him from being there or near her, the Crown prosecutor added. His sister was not home, although her doorbell camera recorded her brother’s presence.
Cook has an extensive criminal record that is aggravating considering he has acquired 26 convictions — such as mischief (two), breaches (15) and resisting arrest (three) — since 2021, said Paquin.
She understood that he was taking steps to address his drug addiction, which is why the joint submission was “a little bit on the lighter” side compared to his past sentences. Yet, she believed it still sent the message of denunciation and deterrence.
Cook, 57, originally from Moose Jaw but now living in Estevan, appeared in court by phone, where he pleaded guilty to breaching a probation order and resisting arrest.
He will spend the next 18 months on probation, where he must keep the peace and be of good behaviour, report to court when required, stay away from his sister, take assessments and programming for addiction, not be near the school and perform 25 hours of community service.
Legal Aid lawyer Zakary Anderson acknowledged that Cook had acquired a substantial record over the past three years, which happened because a personal tragedy led to his crystal meth use. He then became homeless and sometimes stayed at Riverside Mission’s men’s shelter or a Social Services-sponsored location.
The defence lawyer said Cook knows he made a poor choice to act erratically at the school, run from the police and resist arrest, actions related to his drug use. Yet, he has no hard feelings toward the officers and has a positive relationship with most of them.
Meanwhile, Cook doesn’t remember visiting his sister’s house but accepts her version of the story.
“Mr. Cook has made great steps to address this addiction,” Anderson continued, noting Cook has been sober since July.
He attended Wakamow Detox in August, while he later spent 160 days at St. Joseph’s Addiction Centre in Estevan. The latter venue was a great experience since he developed new skills to handle his issues and now serves coffee to participants.
Furthermore, he moved into a sober living home recently and has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous regularly, which has improved his quality of life and led to a healthy weight gain.
“He is really looking to atone for what he’s done. He sees a chance to begin a new life in Estevan,” Anderson added.
Judge Brian Hendrickson accepted the joint submission and waived the victim fine surcharge, saying he was pleased that Cook was making changes in his life.
