A man who thought he had gotten a “really good deal” on 100 grams of marijuana that he purchased in Calgary found it was a lot costlier in other ways when he was busted by police and taken to Provincial Court on Wednesday, April 2.
Equestrian Coach Joseph Rycroft was stopped on the Trans-Canada Highway on November 24 for failing to display a new driver sticker on his vehicle. Officers smelled marijuana and, when they searched his vehicle, found 100 grams of grass.
The Crown attorney told Provincial Court Judge Ray Takahashi that Rycroft had no criminal record and had purchased the marijuana for his own personal use.
“He though he was getting a really good deal,” he said.
Rycroft represented himself in court and asked Judge Takahashi for a conditional discharge because a criminal conviction would prevent him from travelling to the United States in the course of his work.
“To qualify for a conditional discharge someone must show that it is in the interest of the perpetrator,” the judge said. “The real issue is whether it is contrary to the public interest.”
Rycroft had never before been in trouble with the law and was visible contrite as Judge Takahashi decided to grant him the conditional discharge. He also had to pay a $1,500 victim’s surcharge fine and was placed on three months probation.
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A woman who was busted for driving while prohibited and was just a couple of months short of getting her licence back told Provincial Court Judge Ray Takahashi she was just trying to help out a friend.
Alexis Anderson was stopped by an RCMP constable on Douglas Street on February 11.
She pled guilty and the judge she knew she was making a mistake but was trying to be helpful.
Anderson was prohibited from driving for another year and ordered to pay a $500 victim surcharge fine.
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A Quebec man who went on a bender, got tossed out of a bar and then trashed a taxi received a conditional discharge in Provincial Court.
François Turcotte was ejected from the Last Drop on February 4 and shown to a taxi when he went on a rampage and began kicking the cab. He dented the side of the machine and broke the passenger side mirror causing $1,000 damage before running away on foot.
RCMP easily caught up to him.
Turcotte, who has no criminal record, told Judge Takahashi that he was leaving for Quebec in a few days.
The judge granted him a conditional discharge, placed him on three months probation and ordered him to pay a $200 victim surcharge fine.
