One day Ashley Thomas Brinston is too dangerous to release, 30 days later the Crown Prosecutor can’t put him back on the streets fast enough.
What’s going on?
Our justice system is often very good, but there are days where it is a complete farce.
After making death threats to a woman, Ashley Thomas Brinston found himself in jail after police searched his home and found firearms, ammunition, some legal and some not.
At his bail hearing the Crown Prosecutor opposed his release, arguing that Ashley Brinston was far too dangerous to allow out in the community. Seems reasonable on its face, doesn’t it? If the guy is running around threatening people and is in possession of firearms then it’s probably a good idea not to have this guy on the streets.
But what about the plea bargain entered into court this week, a joint submission by both Crown prosecutors and defense counsel?
In that joint submission the Crown agreed that a 120-day conditional sentence and house arrest was sufficient. Judge Harold Porter was, as he should be, disgusted with this notion.
“A month ago the Crown position was that it was far too dangerous to release the accused on judicial interim release. Today, it is the Crown position that it would be appropriate to sentence the accused to serve a sentence of house arrest, as a conditional sentence. Since judicial interim release and conditional sentences both require the accused complying with a court order, it is a challenge to reconcile the two positions taken by the Crown. A month ago, it was unsafe to release him into the community under the supervision of a court order, but today it is safe to release him on a court order.”
Sadly, despite his disgust with the sentence the judge is bound by law to accept it.
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