Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 06/03) - A 12-year-old girl was sentenced to a year of probation in territorial court this week and will go to the Alberta Hospital in Edmonton for treatment.

After being convicted last month of a string of offences including arson and making death threats, Judge Brian Bruser sent the girl to Alberta for a psychiatric assessment.

The assessment found she has no psychiatric illness, although she might have "narcissistic borderline antisocial personality traits." Her lawyer Jim Brydon said it's hard to find a teenager who doesn't fall into that category.

Crown prosecutor Shelley Tkatch asked the judge to sentence the girl to four months of custody, two months of supervision and a year of probation.

But Brydon said the girl would emerge from four months of custody even more bitter and anti-social.

He asked for probation and said his client has consented to go back to the Alberta Hospital for treatment.

The girl's father told Bruser he believes his daughter would benefit from the safe, structured environment at the Alberta Hospital.

"I love her very much, always have," he told the court. "I hope she's able to learn from this and carry on with the rest of her life."

When asked, the girl said she prefers treatment over jail.

Bruser sentenced her to a year of probation, with various conditions, including that she remain at the Alberta hospital for as long as both she and the hospital consent.

"Custody in this case would not be in your best interest," said Bruser.

The case will be discussed again on Oct. 14 in territorial court.