Fine, counselling order for man who harassed city staff, MLA office, police
By Medicine Hat News on January 26, 2024.
@MedicineHatNews A Medicine Hat man will have to continue counselling ordered by a probation officer and pay a $300 fine after pleading guilty Thursday to harassing the staff of the City of Medicine Hat, the office of MLA Danielle Smith and the Medicine Hat Police Service. The self-represented man was aided by duty council at Alberta Court of Justice as he pleaded guilty to three separate charges and received a suspended 24-month sentence. He is also ordered to not contact four specific individuals and only communicate with police in case of legitimate emergency or with the others only through writing. He was previously on a two-year probation term for criminal harassment when he called police staff approximately 100 times starting in August 2022 with complaints, which civilian staff and dispatchers perceived to be harassing in nature. He made two dozen calls over a two-month period last winter to the MLA’s office staff, which the man said were in relation to a disputed worker’s compensation claim. City human resources staff were called an unspecified number of times in the fall of 2023 leading to police reports filed by three employees. Judge Eric Petersen agreed with the Crown prosecutor’s suggestion of a two-year suspended sentence during which he will report to a probation office and continue counselling already underway. A trial set to take place next month was cancelled and a victims surcharge of $100 on each count will be paid into the general victims fund. 8-7
