SUMMERSIDE -- A 33-year-old Alberton man who assaulted one man before stabbing another at a beach party in May was sentenced this morning to 20 months behind bars.
Jason Clay Waite had been scheduled to go to trial this morning in P.E.I. Supreme Court in Summerside. He had pleaded not guilty earlier in the year to two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife), a single count of assault with a weapon causing bodily harm, two counts of aggravated assault and with breaching probation.
The charges stemmed from an incident at a beach party at MacDonald's Shore on May 23 where two men were stabbed and another seriously injured. Waite has been in jail by consent since his arrest on May 25 in Charlottetown.
In court this morning, Waite changed his plea to guilty on two of the charges: one count of assault with a weapon causing bodily harm and one count of aggravated assault. The Crown stayed the remaining four charges.
Waite also pleaded guilty Monday to a third charge of damage to property -- an unmarked police vehicle -- that happened during his arrest by RCMP in Charlottetown. On that information, the Crown stayed a breach of probation charge.
Justice John Mitchell agreed with a joint submission on sentencing presented by the Crown and defence, sentencing Waite to 30 months in jail in relation to the assault with a weapon causing bodily harm charge. Mitchell credited Waite with 11 and a half months time served, reducing his sentence on that charge to 18 months behind bars.
Waite will spend an additional two months in jail on the damage to property charge and was sentenced to a six-month concurrent sentence on the aggravated assault charge.
Once out of jail, Waite will be on probation for 24 months, terms of which include undergoing alcohol and drug assessment, counselling and treatment, to stay away from the victims and pay restitution of $924 for the damage to the police vehicle.
Waite will also be prohibited from owning or possessing any weapons or ammunition for life. He was also ordered to provide a DNA sample for the national databank.
More to follow, including facts and comments from one victim, Waite, the Crown, defence and judge, in Tuesday's Journal Pioneer.
