After pleading guilty to possessing explosives and breach of conditions charges, a Salmon Arm will soon go free after being credited with time served.
Justin Latimer appeared in Salmon Arm court Feb. 18 to enter his plea for charges stemming from an incident last September when RCMP responded to a report of a possible domestic assault. The responding officer found Latimer, who was known to him, around back of a residence and carrying a large, black duffle bag.
Latimer denied any assault, but was arrested on an outstanding warrant at which time the officer found two knives in the bag. Later, at the RCMP detachment, commercial fishing explosives were found during a more thorough search of the bag, and Latimer was re-arrested on those charges.
Crown counsel Dawson McKay also mentioned other crimes on Latimer's lengthy record, and the fact he has two lifetime prohibitions for firearms and weapons, which includes explosives.
"So... before the court today is an offender who has a very serious record," McKay said. "A very violent record."
Crown asked for a sentence of 10 to 12 months in this incident, with two years probation and another weapons prohibition, but acknowledged the defence was asking for time served for the four-and-a-half months Latimer had been in custody which, with "enhanced credit" would bring that up to seven months. The remaining time would be served under a conditional sentence order in the community.
Judge George Leven accepted the time served option, but not the conditional sentence as he said Latimer has 17 or 18 breach offences.
"I have concerns about putting him on conditional sentence," he said. "I have no faith that he would abide by any court order put on him, given his history."
Instead, Leven handed down a sentence of eight months, or 240 days, but said that as Latimer has served 142 days and will credit him with time and a half for 213 days, leaving just 27 days left to serve, followed by two years probation.
