34 — Wednesday, April 12, 1995 - North Shore News ecision is a jo victims aren't amused Lee THIS NEWSPAPER ran.a front page story detailing the anger felt by people victim- ized by Richard Warner, after he was released following. an astonishing decision recently by B.C...Supreme Court Justice Kenneth MacKenzie. Warner pleaded guilty to eight counts.-- of breaking --and. entering, :, 14 ‘counts . of possession of stolen property and ~ a: lone “count of. pos- session. ‘of. -house- breaking i instruments. ks . Warner had, at that ‘point, “Spent . five “months...in _ custody * awaiting trial on the Charges... Justice: ‘MacKenzie sentenced Warner to. time served and, two years, proba- *. Warner ‘had originally’ been a arrested i in June of 1994 after being ~ found in: possession: of approxi- ' mately’ $250,060: worth of stolen ““ property, mostly, computers and ‘related: office “equipment. The "arrest':came after some dogged ‘ determination by: members .of the . ‘North Vancouver RCMP. e"was promptly released by a. ' Provincial ‘Court judge ‘in ‘North « ” Vancouver-and told to: be a good boy. In'spite of his criminal history - and the nature of the crimes he was -d with, be:was cut loose. VAS" sure as’ God- made: little -green apples he was again arrested “by. the RCMP after police watched him ‘unioad ‘stolen computer. parts, 7 in front of his home. --»t Atleast on this occasion, a cou- : "ple of, months after his last arrest, -the Provincial Court judge, real- “jzed Warner was likely to re-offend , and denied him bail while awaiting : “his wial.. wag Recently, in the judicial version of Let’s Make a Deal, a guilty plea was arranged and a sentence of 18 to 24 months was agreed upon. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to jail. Mr. Justice MacKenzie somehow felt Warner deserved a break. He was ordered released from custody and told to be a good little boy for the next two years, The conditions of his Probation Order are a joke. He is to keep the peace and be of good behavior. He must reside with his mother and report to a probation officer once a week. There are no curfews, no restrictions ‘on his movements, nothing to protect North Shore res- idents. His probation order doesn’t even restrict hirn from being in an industrial area at three in the morn- ing. - Although, to be fair, it does tell him to refrain from the use of non- prescription drugs. Thanks M‘ford, that ought to do the trick. I canmot fathom how anyone, let alone a supposedly “learned” 66 When does the penny, drop for” those responsible for administering justice in Canada? When do they , finally admit ‘enough is enough’? 99 Supreme Court Justice, could pos- sibly arrive at the conclusion that Warner deserved any sort of a break. In point of fact, 1 was preparing to write a criticism of the Crown for agreeing to take a plea, allow- ing Warner to only get an 18 to 24 months sentence. ~ Perish the fact the truth should get in the way of justice. Let ‘us, perhaps, examine some of the truth that seems to have been glossed -over in this case.. Warner is an admitted junkie. He steals to feed his habit. He has had an intimate ‘knowledge of the Criminal Justice system since he was a teenager. Ye has lived virtually on perpet- ual probation. How in the name -of justice, could anyone with a modicum of intelligence, perceive that Warmer deserved another chance? This guy was. virtually. a one-— man crime wave. He preyed, for the most part, on FREE] CRUISE! With the Purchase of a Binner & Show | Package for| $39. inclusive April 18 - 20] 25-27 Paes Includes Dinner | _ on beard the Beomtown | followed by an evening ; “< performance | ®. of FOREVER PLALD! | Starlight Theatre * 935 Denman St. | -VicketMaster 286-3311 | “Groups 733-7463 § . * *gervice charges apply § gist are ad at ome of purchase} srnall businesses. He is personally responsible for many businesses no longer being covered by insurance because they are now considered too big a risk. This is not some kid who went astray. This is not a first-or even second time offender. He is a pro- fessional. Let's bear in mind that when he was arrested in June, he had in his _ possession over a quarter of a mil- lion dollars worth of stolen proper- ty. That figure is not all of what he was responsible for stealing since his fast brush with the law. It is only what he had at the time of his arrest. A quarter of a million dol- lars! The police can only speculate how much he had fenced or other- wise disposed of. When does the penny drop for those responsible for administering justice in Canada? When do they finally admit “enough is enough?” At what point will they understand that some people are beyond redemption? ; Russell Chernoff, one of Wamer’s vic- ‘tims, lost over $65,000 in computer equip- ment from his busi- ness. : The Jast time he was broken’ into he was advised. by the police to fortify his premises by putting windows to try and keep. Warner and his ilk. out.. Chernoff asked, “whois supposed to be behind bars, me or the guy stealing from me?” I’m sorry Mr. Chernoff, but Mr. ; Justice MacKenzie . seems’ to believe that you, as the law abiding citizen, should be behind bars. Perish the. thought that Richard Warner should have spent any * more time in jail than he already had. If this, type of situation wasn "t so commonplace it would ‘almost be laughable. ‘But. North Shore.’ busifiesses aren't laughing. ‘ security’: bars. on his, UNABLE TO make up their minds what eport t to > play’ Golf? Skiing?.. Soccer?) the North Shore. Association: for: the: Mentally Handicapped decided on all three during a recent event atop fit. Seymour. Here, Maureen Curtin tees up the, er, bail on the opening hole fer! is that t slope?) : Please be. a nrosps “ @wner and ‘your dog with: a protective kennel” . fastenec to the centre of “ - your vehicte. Bett ot, leave you COUT WITH ‘ THE OLD” -