Man going to prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges

A Westville man will continue to spend the next 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges.

Jacob Alexander Allen, 26, was charged with close to 30 offences from two separate incidents in May and June.

The court accepted a joint recommendation after Allen entered guilty pleas to 11 charges including uttering threats, assault, prowling at night, breach of a court order, theft, assault of a police officer and possession of cannabis marijuana. The remaining charges were withdrawn by the Crown.

Crown attorney Patrick Young told the court that police arrested Allen on May 7, 2016, after it investigated a domestic assault in Stellarton. Allen was intoxicated and belligerent with police during his arrest, but they did manage to get a statement from him during which time he admitted to throwing a woman and putting her in a chokehold.

The victim told police Allen was angry after she spoke with some men during their evening out and slammed her against a concrete wall. They went home together, but he woke up angry the next morning. She showed police bruises and scrapes on her legs and arms as a result of the assault.

Allen was released from custody a few days later on conditions to keep the peace, but he was arrested again on June 11 by Westville police after complaints of someone rifling through vehicles.

Police were on the lookout for a man in a grey hoodie and black jacket when a caller described someone matching the same description going through a nearby vehicle.

Allen was arrested by police at the scene and resisted when officers tried to put him in their car. Young said he was kicking the back door of the patrol car so hard that it started to bow. He had also grabbed an officer’s arm and squeezed it and spit in the face of another officer.

During the search of his personal items, police found five grams of marijuana in a bag as well as a bottle of tequila, mix for the drink and $80 in his wallet. Allen also had about $100 in change in the pocket of his pants and some of the vehicle owners reported to police that change had been taken from their vehicles.

The crown pointed out that Allen has 64 prior convictions that include theft, assault, threats, breaches and fraud and that he was on a court undertaking at the time of his second arrest.

The defence said Allen suffers from ADHD and bipolar disorder that was aggravated by drinking alcohol, which acts as catalyst, but not an excuse, for his poor behaviour. The defence said after this first arrest, Allen lost all hope because he felt he was going to jail.

Allen has been using his time on remand wisely, his lawyer said, getting his general education diploma and taking anger management courses.

The joint recommendation called for a total prison term of 15 months’ jail time but after taking his time on remand, he has six months left to serve. Once he is released from custody, Allen will be on 18 months’ probation.