WESTLOCK - A 32-year-old Rochester-area man whose “whereabouts remained unknown” to his probation officer for months at a time, received a two-week jail sentence.
Appearing in Westlock Court of Justice Aug. 2 via CCTV from the Edmonton Remand Centre (ERC), Colin Michael Edge pleaded guilty to breaching his probation, while a second charge of failing to comply with his release-order conditions was withdrawn by Crown prosecutor Anthony Estephan.
Justice Thomas Achtymichuk agreed to the joint-sentence submission from Estephan and defence lawyer Lonnie Allen on a 15-day jail sentence which was deemed served by the 10 of the 12 “real days” Edge has been behind bars at the ERC. Edge was also ordered to pay a $100 victim-fine surcharge which is due Oct. 18, 2023.
Citing a single-page criminal record with seven entries spanning the last two years, Estephan said Edge received a 12-month probation term on Sept. 26, 2022, in Athabasca Court of Justice. On April 4, 2023, Edge ended up at the ERC on “new charges” but failed to report during his 23-day stay at the institution “and his whereabouts remained unknown between April 27 and June 26.”
Allen told court that the sentence was “fair and appropriate” and that Edge was looking forward to his release to see his two children, who he has joint custody of. Allen noted that there was “some confusion” on his client’s part in regard to reporting to probation during his time locked up and that he “hopes not to make the same mistake in the future.”
“He lives on a family-owned property and it’s a stable environment for him. He’s got work lined up as he’s a drywaller and a steel framer, so he’s going to get back to work as soon as he’s released,” said Allen.
