A long-standing matter before the courts came to its conclusion on Thursday, Feb. 11, with a guilty plea and fine.
Allison Fleck, who had been originally charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking after being stopped by the Stettler RCMP on May 6, 2015, saw the Crown reduce the charge to possession after coming to the conclusion it could not prove the drugs were present for the purpose of trafficking.
Fleck pleaded guilty to the lesser charge, and the court heard that on May 6, police pulled Fleck over for a traffic stop and found 2.6 grams of cocaine in multiple baggies, an amount of cash and cell phone, all of which were seized.
Since the trafficking charge was dropped, the money and cell phone will be returned to Fleck, who was fined $500 plus the victims' surcharge fee.
A case of misunderstanding resulted in 87-year-old Lloyd Wesner being fined $100 after he was in a collision while he had no licence. The court heard that in December 2015, Wesner backed his vehicle into ScotiaBank, causing damage, and at the time was discovered to have a suspended licence.
Ward Wallace, Wesner's son-in-law, spoke for Wesner, explaining that prior to the collision, his father-in-law believed he did have a licence. He had recently received an identification card and did not understand it was not his driver's licence.
He has since made reparations and was fined $100.
Waren Blonke also appeared before Judge J.D. Holmes, pleading guilty to an assault charge from Nov. 30, 2015. At the time, Blonke was at a residence drinking, and got into a verbal altercation with one of the two other involved individuals. He tossed his drink into the face of the older of the two complainants, and then was in a scuffle with the other, which ended up with both individuals in an "altercation on the ground."
The elder of the two victims, who was also at court, waived the right for a restraining condition in Blonke's conditions. The court advised Blonke and the elder of the two victims that if the younger, who was not present, wished to waive the conditions as well, a letter would have to be received by the Courts.
Blonke, who has a previous record from 1988 that includes speeding and driving while disqualified, and a 1992 conviction for dangerous driving, admitted through duty counsel Mark Daoust that alcohol is a problem, and bad things happen when he drinks.
He also stated he had been sober for some time before the evening on which the altercation occurred.
The 47-year-old father of two was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence. When the sentence is complete, and if Blonke successfully heeds all conditions, there will be no conviction on record.
Judge Holmes said he hoped Blonke would stay away from alcohol given the effect it has on him and his life, and required him to take part in a program to help him overcome his addiction. He was also fined the victims' surcharge.