‘Stupid’ man sorry for burglary at former GM site

A man who sought shelter — and copper — at the former General Motors plant in St. Catharines, despite a court order banning him from the property, has apologized for his actions.

“I was desperate, I was cold, and I was stupid,” Daniel Shushack told Judge Fergus O’Donnell.

The 27-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines to charges of break and enter, commit theft, and failing to comply with a court order.

He was sentenced to time served, having served the equivalent of 76 days behind bars, and was placed on probation for 15 months.

On Jan. 22, a security guard spotted two men enter a construction office at the Ontario Road site and make their way to a scrap-metal storage area.

She confronted the duo and the men ran off, leaving behind a bag filled with copper. Both were subsequently arrested.

Assistant Crown attorney Greg Smith said Shushack was on a court order at the time to stay off the 21.8-hectare property, stemming from a previous break-andenter conviction.

Defence lawyer David Protomanni told the judge his client has battled with drug addiction for many years.

“When he was 11 years old, he had a bad fever and was given an IV of morphine,” he said. “This led to an addiction at an early age.”

At one point, court heard, the defendant grew his own poppies and attempted to extract opium from the plants.

The former GM property was purchased by Bayshore Groups in June 2014 for $12.5 million. That December the company announced a plan for the site which included a mix of retirement residences, apartment lofts, commercial businesses and a technical trade school.

It anticipated the property would be down to grade in 18 months and construction would start in 24 months. Much of the site has been demolished but no construction has occurred.

Earlier this month, the property was listed for sale.