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February 23, 2015 - 7:30 PM
KAMLOOPS – Two men who drowned out numerous noise complaints with loud music from a month-long eviction party narrowly avoided criminal records, but did earn fines.
Last March, it took 15 neighbour complaints, three tickets for loud noise, one RCMP search warrant and a $4,000 stereo seizure before Rudy Marcel Raphael Marini, 22, and Alex Orville Thornton, 20, were charged with mischief. The duo pleaded guilty and were sentenced Monday, Feb. 23.
Kamloops Provincial Court Judge Stephen Harrison handed each a conditional discharge and a $500 fine.
“It shouldn’t have had to come to criminal court,” he said before delivering his sentence. “Plainly if (they) had been paying more attention... the matter could have been resolved.”
Harrison issued a nine-month probation order against both men which included a no contact order with the neighbours who complained. Jay Michi, an articling student who represented the pair, called his clients' behaviour “obnoxious and annoying,” but pointed out no one was harmed and property was not damaged.
“It would be to their detriment to have a criminal record,” he said.
Both accused apologized for their behaviour which they acknowledged was “disrespectful.”
“I trust we won’t see you back here,” Harrison said.
Crown prosecutor Joel Gold said the owner of the stereo equipment will have to file an application for its return from RCMP.
To contact a reporter for this story, email gbrothen@infonews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015