Despite stealing car parts and participating in a break-in at a livestock venue, Jesse Lee Munroe will not serve any more time in custody after spending almost three months on remand.
Munroe, 33, from Moose Jaw, appeared in provincial court recently and pleaded guilty to breaking into Heartland Livestock, breaching probation by failing to complete 30 hours of community service, assaulting a boy, stealing vehicle parts, and failing to come to court.
As part of a joint submission, Munroe received 90 days in jail for the break-in. However, since he had been on remand since Nov. 3 — 86 days by his court appearance — he did not have to serve any extra time behind bars. He also received 14 days for the breach, 30 days for the assault, 14 days for stealing car parts and 14 days for failing to appear in court; these were considered served concurrently while on remand.
Munroe drove onto the Heartland Livestock property on Feb. 20, 2021, and parked near a barn while an accomplice went inside and returned with clothing, Crown prosecutor Stephen Yusuff said while reading the facts. The Crown considered Munroe to have aided and abetted the theft.
“He’s as guilty as the principal actor,” Yusuff remarked.
In broad daylight on March 18, Munroe attempted to open several vehicles on Iroquois Street and successfully entered three cars. He removed the batteries from two cars by cutting their wires and stole a stereo from a third vehicle.
This property was valued at less than $5,000.
Several months later, on June 29, probation services contacted the Moose Jaw Police Service to say that Munroe had failed to complete his community service, Yusuff continued. Police later arrested the man for failing to perform that task.
On Sept. 9, Munroe’s young son woke up early and began pestering his father, which annoyed the man and caused him to give an open-handed slap across the boy’s face, the Crown prosecutor said. This left a bruise and scratches on the child’s face.
Munroe is unemployed and on disability because of health issues, defence lawyer Adam Fritzler said. He has gone through Drug Treatment Court and has been clean for a few months. Meanwhile, he plans to work with family services after his release and acquire his GED.
“During the span of these offences, Mr. Munroe was separated from (his wife). He essentially had some bad influences in his life and has since broken himself from those,” Fritzler continued. “He obviously knows he has to pay the penalty associated with those in order to move on and move forward with his life.”
Since Munroe is unemployed, Fritzler asked that the victim surcharge fee be waived.
Judge Daryl Rayner agreed to impose the joint submission and drop the victim surcharge fee.
Munroe will remain on remand until March 17, when he appears again in court for an assault trial.
