Man breaches court-ordered firearms prohibition
A P.E.I. man has been sentenced for breaching a courtordered firearms prohibition after being caught duck hunting with a shotgun.
Jacob Angus Johnston, 34, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 15 in provincial court in Charlottetown.
THE FACTS
On Dec. 30, conservation officers were conducting checks in the Pisquid River area and met Johnston duck hunting, said Crown attorney John Diamond. Johnston was carrying a shotgun and wearing an ammunition belt even though he was on a firearms prohibition. Conservation officers phoned the RCMP, and Johnston was charged.
Johnston believed the firearms prohibition had already expired at the time of the offence but was wrong, said Diamond. Johnston was represented in court by defence lawyer Isaac Quinn.
CRIMINAL RECORD
The five-year firearms prohibition was put in place as a result of previous convictions in Nova Scotia for breach of probation and assault causing bodily harm. Johnston received a 12-month conditional sentence for the offences.
Johnston's criminal record also includes a five-month jail sentence in P.E.I. Supreme Court in January 2016 for unlawfully being inside a Valleyfield home. Johnston entered the male homeowner's bedroom in November 2014 and got into a physical confrontation with him over a woman they were both involved with. The homeowner broke free from the confrontation and grabbed a shotgun. Johnston was shot in the right leg after ignoring the homeowner's warnings not to advance any further.
$500 FINE, NEW FIREARMS PROHIBITIONS
Judge Nancy Orr accepted a joint recommendation from Diamond and Quinn and fined Johnston $500 and a $150 victim surcharge.
Johnston also received two firearms prohibitions. The first was for 10 years and prohibits possessing any firearm, other than a prohibited or restricted firearm, crossbow, restricted weapon, ammunition and explosive substance. The second is for life and prohibits possessing any prohibited and restricted firearm, prohibited weapon, prohibited device and prohibited ammunition.
The shotgun, ammunition and ammunition belt that were seized during Johnston's arrest were forfeited.