An Oliver man was released from jail after serving 14 days for possession of methamphetamine earlier this month.
(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)
February 24, 2016 - 3:53 PM
PENTICTON - An Oliver man who put medical staff at Oliver General Hospital at risk because of his addiction will not spend any more time in jail as a result of his offence.
Penticton court Judge Meg Shaw handed down a sentence of time served to Marcus Wilfred Sheena today, Feb. 24, after he entered a guilty plea for possession of a controlled substance, in this case, methamphetamine.
Crown Prosecutor Ashleigh Baylis told court police were called to the Oliver hospital just after midnight on Feb.8 after Sheena was reported to have become aggressive in the hospital’s acute care ward when he was refused drugs.
When police arrived, Sheena had calmed down after being given medication. Police found a plastic bag containing 4.2 grams of crystal meth on Sheena’s person.
He was left in hospital after being declared unfit for police custody.
Sheena was later observed with his hand in a sharps container, a baggie in the other, by a nurse conducting checks. It appeared to the nurse he was looking for a needle to inject himself with.
Sheena left the hospital on his own accord around 2 p.m. later that day. Hospital staff notified police, who found Sheena walking on McKinney Road, where he was arrested.
Baylis noted Sheena had since spent the last 17 days in jail. She said Sheena had 28 previous convictions but only one was related to possession charges. She said his behaviour in hospital was concerning because he had put staff at risk, suggesting a sentence of 14 days.
Defence lawyer Kathyrn Lundman said her 31-year-old client had been suffering from pneumonia while in jail, and was already serving a three-year probation order from Feb. 3, 2014, and asked for a sentence of time served.
Sheena, appearing by video, apologized to the medical staff at the hospital for his actions.
Judge Shaw agreed with Crown’s submission, releasing Sheena on a sentence of time served. He must also pay a $100 victim surcharge.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016