(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
June 23, 2017 - 6:30 PM
KELOWNA – A 39-year-old Kelowna man who got caught up with heroin and made a series of “bad choices” was sentenced to 281 days in jail for a string of thefts that spanned two years.
Patrick Casey has been in police custody since Jan. 1, 2017 when a warrant was issued for a vehicle break in and subsequent use of credit cards he stole in November 2016. Crown lawyer Patty O’Neil says the circumstances of the case mirror much of Casey’s life for the year prior.
He was arrested and released on promises to appear seven times since September 2015 when he assaulted the manager of a Kelowna grocery store after he and his girlfriend were caught with stolen merchandise.
Bystanders helped restrain the couple until police arrived.
Roughly one month later, Casey and his girlfriend were again caught on security camera stealing from another grocery store in Kelowna. Although confronted by security, the couple were able to get away with close to $200 worth of stolen electronics and food.
They were arrested in December when they returned to the same store and were recognized by staff.
Casey was arrested again in March for breaking into cars and stealing bank cards and again in May for stealing a fanny pack from McDonalds and using the stolen credit cards to make purchases across Kelowna and West Kelowna.
He was also arrested in 2016 for trying to use a stolen $200 gift card.
In each case purchases were kept under $100 so a PIN was not needed.
Casey, who has no recent criminal record, says his troubles with the law are a result of a recent heroin addiction.
He called the crimes “a series of bad choices and decisions.”
“Jail is the best thing that could have happened to me,” he said. “I plan to continue with sobriety.”
Casey has a very limited criminal history that’s almost 20 years old and judge Cathaline Heinrichs rejected Crown’s request for more than a year in jail.
She sentenced him to 281 days in jail and gave him enhanced credit of 261 days leaving him with less than three weeks of new time.
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