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(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

A prolific offender who assaulted a man with a knife when he caught her breaking into a vehicle will not spend more time in jail, but she remains banned from Kamloops.

Jenna Lee Frost, 36, who pleaded guilty to five charges stemming from the June 16, 2020, incident in which she broke into two cars at separate downtown residences, was handed a 19-month conditional sentence order by Judge Dennis Morgan in BC Provincial Court in Kamloops this week.

Court heard a woman spotted Frost lurking outside her Battle Street home that day. Minutes later, the boyfriend of the resident discovered cigarettes, credit cards and an Indian Status card missing from his vehicle in the driveway.

An hour later, on nearby Nicola Street, a man visiting his mother’s house noticed the driver’s-side window of her car had been smashed, at which point Frost emerged from the vehicle and fled. The man attempted to restrain Frost on the ground and she began striking him with a set of keys before pulling out a hooked knife, slashing at him and leaving lacerations on his forehead and arms.

He released Frost and she ran, threatening him as she left.

The man described the woman to police, noting her tattoo, and officers recognized the suspect as Frost, finding her in Sahali later that day. She ran from police, but was arrested and found to be carrying stolen cigarettes and credit cards.

Frost was held in custody for three months before being released on bail and ordered to live in Abbotsford and stay out of Kamloops.

Crown prosecutor Oliver Potestio sought up to 19 months in jail for the offences, noting Frost’s lengthy criminal record of 38 convictions, the majority for property crimes, and past conditional sentence orders that have been ineffective. Aggravating circumstances included the violence used in the offence and Frost’s prolific offender status.

Frost’s struggles with drug addiction and the fact she hasn’t breached conditions since this offence were cited as mitigating factors.

Defence lawyer Jay Michi argued it was best to keep Frost out of jail with strict conditions as she had made strides to better herself since being released.

“Ms. Frost is someone who’s been before the courts since she was an adolescent and has continued to have challenges and jail sentences have been imposed,” Michi said. “That’s not going to stop the problem. The problem is Ms. Frost’s drug use and, at this point in time, she has a handle on that. She has stability.”

Frost will spend 12 months under house arrest, followed by seven months with eased restrictions and two years of probation. She has an overnight curfew, is barred from being in Kamloops, except when accompanied by her mother, and must complete 40 hours of community service. She will also attend counselling and rehabilitation and must refrain from using drugs and alcohol.

— This story was originally published by Kamloops This Week.

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