Penticton RCMP have issued a warrant for the arrest of Blair Robert Balch.

Image Credit: Submitted/Penticton RCMP

A man who detonated homemade bombs at a park and school in Penticton was supposed to be sentenced today but the judge couldn’t decide whether to send him to prison or not.

Judge Greg Koturbash was told that in March 2021, Blair Robert Balch attempted to set off three explosives at a park and elementary school. After he was caught, he admitted to police that he made the explosives and detonated two of them. He said he did so by filling up pipes with crush-up sparklers and applying a wick, and that he learned how to make them by watching YouTube videos.

Two other devices turned up and had to be destroyed by the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit. Balch only admits to making one of those devices which he said was left unexploded because it was a dud.

He was charged with two counts – making or possessing explosives and mischief, to which he previously pleaded guilty.

Crown counsel Kurt Froehlich was seeking a combined nine- to 12-month prison term, followed by one year of house arrest and curfew.

Balch could be heard sighing in the courtroom when that was proposed.

READ MORE: Wanted man from Penticton accused of setting off explosives has lengthy criminal history

Froehlich pointed out Balch has 87 criminal convictions, although his most recent charges prior to last year were from 2013.

The locations he chose to detonate the explosives were places frequented by the public and children, he said.

Balch is at risk to reoffend in general, according to a doctor's report cited by Froehlich, and that risk is amplified by his daily meth use.

The Crown also said Balch tried to minimize the severity of his actions, and said he committed the crimes for no reason.

“Not that there’s ever a reason to have explosives.”

Balch’s lawyer James Pennington asked for a much lighter punishment – a conditional suspended sentence of 12 to 15 months.

Pennington said Balch is now 50 years old and was diagnosed with HIV “a long time ago” and initially wasn’t expected to survive as long as he has.

“But thanks to medicine and science he’s still here,” Pennington said.

While Balch has a very lengthy criminal record, he became tired and burned out from that way of life and kept out of trouble for nine years, Pennington said. He has been living in a unit at the Burdock House for the past three years, but was homeless for most of his adult life.

“His daily meth use is more or less a maintenance dose and that’s it.”

Judge Koturbash asked how much Balch spends each day on the drug and was told up to $20. When asked about his monthly income, Balch said he gets $1,200 from disability, but is left with about $900 after his rent is deducted.

READ MORE: RCMP bomb squad called to investigate mysterious Penticton explosions
 

Pennington said if Balch goes to jail he will won't have anywhere to live.

Judge Koturbash asked how Balch knows he won't be welcome back to the public housing following a prison term.

“There’s a long line and you more or less get one crack at the whip,” Balch said.

Pennington said upon his release from prison, he’ll be homeless and there’s a strong likelihood that he will fall back into his pre-2013 lifestyle.

“I finally got my life back somewhat. if I go back to jail I'm just going to see old friends and do old things,” Balch said. “I know that’s not an excuse for anything, but I don’t want to lose my home.”

Pennington added that his client has already been abused and alienated by his peers as a result of his crimes and broke his hand.

“Because people took revenge on him – people in his circle who decided he needed to have a licking,” he said.

The explosives weren’t intended to hurt anybody as they were detonated in the early hours of the morning, Pennington said, and he rejected the Crown’s claim that Balch was trying to minimize the serious nature of the crime.

"They weren’t intended to hurt anybody, I'm not a terrorist," Balch said.

Balch saved court resources by pleaded guilty instead of going to trial and he was cooperative with police, Penning said.

However, Froehlich outright rejected a suspended sentence and conditional sentence order given the level of moral culpability.

But most of the precedent-setting cases regarding explosives involve people who were charged with more crimes and had different intentions.

Calling this a rare case, Judge Koturbash delayed his decision until June 21.

The sentencing will also include a third but unrelated charge – driving while prohibited or while a licence was suspended.

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