A Keremeos teenager was sentenced to a nine month suspended sentence in Princeton court last week after pleading guilty to assault with a weapon.
He was also ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national data base.
It was the second time the 14-year-old entered a guilty plea. Last month the judge struck that plea down after the youth disputed some of the facts set forth by the crown.
鈥淗e wishes to re-enter his guilty plea and deal with the matter,鈥� said defense attorney Norman Yates.
The boy, who cannot be identified under the Young Offenders Act, admitted he pulled a pair of rusty red-handled scissors on a friend, after an evening of smoking marijuana at a campsite near Hedley.
The Crown said he then 鈥渨ent on a rampage鈥� at the campsite, and was eventually taken home by his father. Court heard the accused and the victim were one-time best friends.
Judge Michelle Daneliuk said the circumstances of the crime were 鈥渆xtremely unfortunate鈥t does not seem to make any sense.鈥�
Yates submitted that exceptions would have to be made to the boy鈥檚 release conditions as the accused and victim live in the same small town and attend the same school.
The guilty teen is not allowed within 50 meters of the victim鈥檚 home, and is only permitted incidental contact with the victim during school activities.
鈥淵ou are not to talk to him or hang out with him,鈥� said Daneliuk. 鈥淚f you see him on the street I expect you to cross the street and walk the other way鈥f you are in a store and he comes into the store, you leave the store.鈥�
A weapons鈥� prohibition was part of the sentence.
鈥淵ou are going to end up with a criminal record now until you are 18,鈥� said Daneliuk. 鈥淚 am focusing today on rehabilitation.鈥�
