CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A Charlottetown man who was with two people, including his adult son, as they rummaged through a vehicle was recently given a suspended sentence.
John James Murphy, 48, appeared before Judge Jeff Lantz in provincial court in Charlottetown where he pleaded guilty to damaging property.
Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown attorney Jeff MacDonald told the court that on Aug. 23 at around 10:50 p.m., Murphy was with two other people at a residence on Passmore Street. MacDonald said two of the people in the group started rummaging through a vehicle when several witnesses confronted them.
Murphy’s son brandished a prybar at the witnesses, MacDonald said.
The court heard the vehicle was damaged during the incident, but nothing appeared to have been stolen.
MacDonald said Murphy had a 28-page criminal record, although it had a “fairly substantial” gap during which he had no convictions.
Before hearing his sentence, Murphy said he was hoping to get into treatment to get his life back on the right path.
In giving Murphy a suspended sentence, Lantz said the accused hopefully won’t be back before the court for a long time, if ever.
Murphy will be on probation for 18 months.
