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Drunk driver crashes into his own vehicle
Cara Loverock Northern News Services Published Friday, December 05 2008
Joseph Belisle, 46, appeared in court with the help of a French translator to face sentencing for a conviction pertaining to an incident on June 14. Crown prosecutor Jill Andrews told the court that RCMP responded to a call of an impaired driver in Northland Trailer Park. A Municipal Enforcement Division officer had pulled over Belisle. While driving a friend's vehicle he had hit his own parked van, causing little damage. He had an open can of beer on the dashboard and a 12-pack of beer inside the vehicle. He was arrested and taken to the RCMP detachment where he was given a breathalyzer test - the sample was well above the legal limit according to the Crown - and access to a French language interpreter. Belisle has three prior convictions, one in 2002 and two in 1996, all related to driving while intoxicated. "He asked me to assure the court this will not happen again," said defence lawyer Kelly Payne. She said this incident occurred just prior to federal Parliament's amendments to the Criminal Code to include stiffer penalties for crimes involving impaired driving. Judge Robert Gorin said he could not give a tougher sentence in the matter because the Crown had not filed a notice of intention to seek greater punishment. He said if that had happened, the minimum sentence he could hand down would include 90 days in jail. "What is obviously of the greatest concern is the criminal record I have in front of me," said Gorin. He said the record was dated but felt imprisonment was necessary in this case. "You have to get the message you cannot operate a motor vehicle while your ability to do so is impaired," said Gorin. A tearful Belisle, who has never served jail time before, was given an intermittent sentence of 30 days in jail, meaning he will serve the time on weekends. He was also given an 18-month driving prohibition and a $50 victim of crimes surcharge.
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