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Inmate on the lam jailed
Judge says man 'on the right track,' but is set to spend three more months behind bars

Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, May 21, 2014

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
One week on the outside has earned an inmate an extra three months on the inside.

NNSL photo/graphic

Grant James Reeves, 48 - seen here participating in a Christmas tree pick-up work program for inmates in Yellowknife in January - was sentenced to three months in jail Friday for being unlawfully at large for a week while on a temporary unescorted absence permit from North Slave Correctional Centre. - NNSL file photo

Grant James Reeves, 48, was set to be released from the North Slave Correctional Centre (NSCC) at the end of June after serving a little more than a year in jail for uttering threats, assault and resisting a peace officer in 2012.

That's changed since April 25, when Reeves failed to check back in while on an unescorted temporary absence permit from the jail.

Reeves was arrested in Yellowknife on May 2 after spending a week on the outside. He pleaded guilty to being unlawfully at large shortly after his arrest and was convicted on Friday.

Alanhea Vogt, Reeves' defence lawyer, said Reeves was issued his unescorted permit on April 9 to work in the city and was required to check back into the NSCC every night.

Vogt said her client became frustrated with delays in getting his work permit extended, leading him to have an "adverse reaction" and a failure to check in with the jail on April 25.

Reeves, a qualified mechanic and welder, had been working off grounds since September, performing various jobs around town, such as shovelling snow, under supervision.

Sitting next to his lawyer, wearing grey sweatpants and a T-shirt, Reeves addressed the court.

"I'm sorry for the choices I made. I apologize. I had a lot of support in the community and I'm sorry for what I did."

Judge Garth Malakoe noted how Reeves behaved well in jail, gradually earning the trust of his supervisors.

"Mr. Reeves should be proud that he was on the right track," Malakoe said.

But Malakoe emphasized how damaging Reeves' offence was.

"The work release program is essential. The trust is essential. The community's belief in that trust is essential," Malakoe said.

In an interview with Yellowknifer earlier this month, Monty Bourke, director of corrections, said it's the first time in seven years an inmate has failed to return from the program. Last year, 81 inmates participated in the unescorted absence program.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Reeves has a limited criminal record in the Northwest Territories, but he has a much larger record elsewhere, dating back to 1981.

Crown prosecutor Brad Demone counted 36 prior convictions, including assaults, breaches of court orders and another charge of being unlawfully at large in 1995.

Both Demone and Vogt agreed a sentence of three months in jail was appropriate considering Reeves' record.

Demone also alleged Reeves was only caught by RCMP after someone reported an "altercation" between him and a woman at Northland Trailer Park.

No other charges have been laid stemming from the alleged incident.

Marc Coulombe, spokesperson for the Yellowknife RCMP, said even though Reeves was arrested following a police complaint, the Mounties were confident they'd track him down eventually.

"We were following some leads and some tips. We had no fear of not finding him," Coulombe said.

Malakoe emphasized the perception of safety in the community when an inmate is at large.

"Someone with this violent record is out in the community ... it creates uneasiness, if not alarm," he said.

Yellowknife RCMP did not notify the public when they discovered Reeves was at large, leading to reports in local media that corrections officials should alert the public about escaped prisoners.

But Bourke said once an inmate is at large, it's up to the RCMP to issue public notices and find the inmate - although corrections will assist police with any information it has.

Despite Reeves' extensive criminal record, Coulombe said RCMP did not deem him a threat to public safety.

"Why was he in custody? How did he react while in custody? There's a whole bunch of factors we have to take into account, it's not just based on (his record)," Coulombe said.

After passing his sentence, Malakoe said he was confident Reeves could get back on track again. He added a mandatory $100 victim of crime surcharge to his three-month sentence.

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