A 19-year-old Yorkton man will spend the next four months in jail for theft and breaching a probation order not to consume or possess alcohol.
Chaz Umperville pleaded guilty May 6 to two counts of theft and two counts of breach.
On May 4, RCMP responded to a complaint of several young men fighting outside the York House restaurant. By the time police arrived, all was quiet at York House, but the officers came upon a number of youths with scrapes and cuts on their hands outside the Liquor Store on Third Avenue.
They found Umperville had a new bottle of liquor in his possession, a breach of probation conditions from previous charges in January. Further investigation yielded video of the young man stealing the bottle and two others the day before, May 3.
The Crown and defence presented a joint submission for four months incarceration based on Umperville's previous record.
Public defender Richard Yaholnitsky, submitted his client was working toward bettering himself including being accepted to Parkland College and signing up for addictions counseling. He requested the judge order Umperville to spend the latter part of his sentence in Saskatchewan's Impaired Driver Treatment Program.
Judge Patrick Koskie accepted the joint submission and made the defence's requested order.
In his own defence, Umperville pointed out his entire criminal record is alcohol-related and said he was working on changing that.
Koskie commended the defendant, but warned him that if he doesn't get control of his alcohol problem he is on the road to escalating custodial sentences.
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