A Yorkton judge has sentenced a teen who caused Yorkton Regional High School into a lockdown situation last June to a six-month deferred sentence followed by 18 months probation.
On June 20, police responded to a report of a student with a handgun on school property.
The youth, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, had taken photos of himself in a school washroom with an Airsoft replica handgun and sent it to several students, prosecutor Andrew Wyatt told the Court. Students alerted teachers, who called 9-1-1.
Police located the 16-year-old in a classroom and arrested him without incident. They found the gun tucked in the waistband of his pants.
At the time, he was released, but was quickly back in custody after threatening a witness. In the joint sentencing submission, Wyatt said the accused posted Facebook messages, one calling a specific girl a “snitch” and a second of a car afire with the message, “snitch on me again, I dare you.”
At a new bail hearing, the youth was denied release and remained in custody until his sentencing last week.
Ultimately he pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of marijuana, uttering threats, intimidation of a justice system participant and a number of breaches.
Legal Aid defence attorney Richard Yaholnitsky supported the joint sentencing recommendation by noting his client was remorseful and had spent four months in jail. Yaholnitsky told the Court the youth had apologized to the girl and is receiving counseling.
Judge Patrick Reis accepted the joint submission imposing conditions on the teen’s sentence and probation including that he participate in personal counseling and addictions treatment and not be within 500 metres of Yorkton Regional High School.
