A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty to several charges in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Wednesday and was sentenced to seven months in prison.
Cassidy Atkinson appeared via CCTV from remand as legal aid lawyer Suzanne Lalonde entered guilty pleas as part of a joint submission with Crown prosecutor Rob Parker.
Atkinson pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, simple possession of cocaine and meth, possession of stolen property over $5,000, driving while prohibited, breach of an undertaking (curfew), and failure to attend court.
Atkinson was first charged on Dec. 5 when he was found in the passenger seat of a vehicle during a routine traffic stop. He was in breach of an undertaking curfew from Nov. 26.
In the early morning hours of Jan. 8, police in Weyburn were led on a high-speed chase. Eventually, police ended the pursuit, but Atkinson was identified through video surveillance at the apartment where the vehicle had departed.
At a later date, Atkinson was found in the driver’s seat of a white Dodge Ram that had been reported stolen from Craik. Parker said Atkinson showed “wilful blindness” in questioning whether the vehicle was stolen. Parker also noted that Atkinson was prohibited from driving at the time.
On March 18, Moose Jaw police received a report of an impaired driver at the A&W. Atkinson was found in the vehicle, which had been reported stolen from Regina. Parker said Atkinson was not charged in connection with the stolen vehicle because there was insufficient evidence. He was arrested on outstanding warrants and was found in possession of a small amount of meth and cocaine.
Parker presented Atkinson’s previous record, noting his last conviction was in July 2023, and said it formed the foundation of the joint submission.
The joint submission included 120 days concurrent for flight from police and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, 60 days consecutive for possession of stolen property, and 30 days consecutive for driving while prohibited, for a total of 210 days.
He was also sentenced to 30 days concurrent for the breach of undertaking and failure to attend court. Parker added that Atkinson should receive an 18-month driving prohibition, concurrent with any current driving prohibitions.
Lalonde told the court that Atkinson plans to live with his parents on their farm in the RM of Hillsborough. Noting the bail report outlined his struggles with meth addiction, Lalonde said that living a distance away from Moose Jaw “may not be a bad thing.”
Judge Brian Hendrickson accepted the joint submission. Atkinson had been in custody since March 18 for 65 actual days and was given credit for 98 days, leaving 112 days left to serve.