Jason Simeon Genge, 36, of Brig Bay was sentenced in provincial court in Corner Brook on four charges — two counts of failure to comply with a probation order, one count of resisting arrest and one count of breaching an undertaking.
The charges spanned a period from October 2011 to July 2015 and involved incidents in Newfoundland and Alberta.
In October 2011 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a report of a man behaving erratically at the Plum Point Motel. The man, identified later as Genge, was dancing around the lobby and grabbing people.
When police attempted to arrest him, Genge resisted being put in handcuffs. He also refused to be put in the police vehicle. Later at the police detachment he was said to be violent while in cells. At the time he told police he had taken cocaine and drank a lot of alcohol. He was on an undertaking that included the condition he not consume alcohol at the time.
In June 2015, the RCMP responded to a complaint that Genge was causing problems at a residence in Bear Cove and would not leave. Again he was in breach of a probation order that he not consume alcohol.
While Genge does not have any local convictions, Crown attorney Adam Sparkes noted he does have a record from Alberta.
He suggested a conditional sentence in the range of 4-7 months and that Genge be prohibited from consuming alcohol during that time. He also asked that a counselling condition be included in the order and that a period of 12-months probation be ordered to begin at the end of the conditional sentence.
Genge’s lawyer, Robby Ash, was in agreement with placing his client on house arrest. However, he argued for a lesser time of between three and four months and disagreed with any alcohol prohibition. He argued such a prohibition sets a person up to fail.
He outlined for Judge Catherine Allen-Westby how Genge’s life started to unravel after he moved to Alberta in 2005 and how he got into alcohol and drugs.
Ash said Genge has made numerous self-referrals for treatment of his addiction and has a desire to be clean and sober.
He said Genge, who appeared upset during the sentencing hearing, is embarrassed by his actions, and, while he doesn’t remember what happened, accepts what he has been told as fact.
Allen-Westby sentenced Genge to four months house arrest with a condition he be allowed out of his home to attend work. She included the alcohol prohibition as part of his sentence. He was also ordered to serve 12 months of probation.
