Bail denied for woman who wanted to attend treatment facility before trial

Bail was denied Wednesday for a Medicine Hat woman who pled guilty to drug trafficking charges but wanted to attend a treatment facility prior to her sentencing.

Counsel for Kristy Miller had secured release on other charges — including a successful appeal to the Court of Queen’s Bench last week — in the hopes of her starting a four-week program at the South Country Treatment Centre in Lethbridge, and then reside with family until her sentencing on April 19.

Stating he couldn’t trust that Miller would comply with release conditions, Judge Eric Brooks refused to grant her release.

Miller entered guilty pleas on Dec. 5 to two counts of trafficking meth for selling 2.68 grams of meth for $180, and 2.2 grams for $180 to undercover officers in June 2016.

A pre-sentencing report and Gladue report are currently being put together for consideration during sentencing.

Curfew breach

Firearm charges were dropped against a Medicine Hat man as part of a resolution that saw him instead plead guilty to breaching his curfew.

Donald Cassidy was sentenced to 21 days in custody, with six days credit for pretrial custody.

According to facts read into court, Cassidy was bound by a 24/7 curfew due to a break and enter charge arising from Calgary. Police received a call he was not at his residence, and was in possession of firearms. Police tracked Cassidy down to another residence, where firearms were also present — leading to a charge of unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a prohibited firearm.

Defence counsel noted that these firearms did not belong to Cassidy, and his client had been on his way back to his residence after checking in with police as required, when he had agreed to helping family move items between properties.

Defence counsel requested a sentence of 15 days, while Crown requested a sentence of 30 to 45 days.

Pointing to 17 past breaches, Judge Eric Brooks said calling Cassidy’s record “unenviable” is an “understatement” and settled on sentencing the man to 21 days, while issuing a warning that if he continues on with what he’s doing, he will continue to do more time.

Child porn charge

An adjournment was granted to May 9 at 1 p.m. for Nolan Davidson who has pled guilty to accessing child pornography.

The 25-year-old entered the plea on Dec. 19, but sentencing was adjourned so a pre-sentencing report could be put together. An agreed statement of facts has been signed, submitted to the court, and will be read in on at sentencing.

Davidson was arrested and charged with one count each of possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography on Sept. 7, after police executed a search warrant on his Medicine Hat residence and seized a number of electronic devices.

Police stated Davidson had identified himself on social media as a former camp director at Eagles Nest Ranch, a youth summer camp located in Cypress Hills Provincial Park. Police investigators said they have no evidence to suggest any offences were committed against any children who attended the camp.