Woman sentenced to 40 days for mischief

A 36-year-old woman was high on drugs when she was caught committing mischief on two occasions earlier this year.

On June 15 Amber Herdman was seen at the Galt Museum using a hatchet to smash spotlights and mouse traps. When police arrived, she had a hatchet in one hand and a mouse trap in the other, and was mumbling something about mermaids who would die unless they were returned to the water.

Then last month Herdman was causing a commotion at a vacant home that Realtors were trying to sell. Herdman had been using the empty home for shelter, but on Oct. 5 while Realtors were conducting business at the house, they noticed Herdman behaving erratically and watched her throw a bag of “waste” onto the roof, causing a considerable mess.

When she was arrested, police found two large kitchen knives in a bag she was carrying. She had previously been ordered by the court to not possess any edged weapons.

Herdman pleaded guilty recently in Lethbridge provincial court to two counts of mischief and one count of breaching her release orders. She was sentenced to 40 days in jail, but released after receiving credit for 40 days she had already spent in custody since her arrest.

Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles told court Herdman's behaviour was fuelled by her “drug problem,” which Lethbridge lawyer Ingrid Hess noted has “exploded” in the last four years.

“Addictions have really impacted her,” Hess said.

Hess said Herdman, who is addicted to crystal meth, experienced withdrawals while she was in custody, and hopes to stay clean.

Herdman will also be on probation for one year, during which she is to be assessed and receive counselling and treatment for substance abuse.

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