A 17-year old youth was sentenced to 18 months - 12 in closed custody - after entering a guilty plea in connection to a Sept. 3 skatepark stabbing that sent another youth to hospital.
The youth, who cannot be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, entered the guilty plea to an aggravated assault charge in connection to that incident. He also entered a guilty plea to a separate charge of impaired driving stemming from Aug. 10.
The sentencing took place immediately, with Judge David Kaiser sentencing the youth to 12 months closed custody followed by six months in open custody, with three months probation to follow. A two-year firearms prohibition following his release was also ordered.
The youth also received a $200 fine for the impaired driving charge, along with a two-year ban on operating a motor vehicle. The other charges against him were dropped.
In sentencing the youth, Kaiser said this was not as bad a day for him as it could have been, because the victim "could have died," he said.
According to the facts outlined by counsel in court, the accused and a group of others were at the North Battleford skatepark on the evening of Sept. 3. Alcohol fueled the incident, as the accused and the victim were both intoxicated at the time.
An altercation ensured, with the accused and the victim apparently arguing over a sweater. According to the Crown the accused had a knife and used it to stab the victim two or three times. The victim was sent to hospital with a punctured lung.
The sentence was in line with a joint submission by Crown and defence counsel who called for a custodial sentence in the range of 12 to 18 months.
