Richard Froese
South Peace News

A 16-year-old male will spend another few weeks in jail for wielding a firearm while drunk.

The youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and credited for 15 days served, when he appeared in High Prairie youth court June 18.

Globally, he was sentenced for careless use of a firearm and for failing to comply with an undertaking.

His place of residence was not disclosed.

The youth was further sentenced to 30 days of supervised custody followed by probation for 12 months.

Court heard the teen was carrying a .22 rifle on June 4 “fairly close to a highway”, Crown prosecutor Brandy Shaw said.

Several shots were reported, the Crown added.

“He was staggering, and on an undertaking to abstain from alcohol.”

To worsen matters, the youth did not have a licence for the firearms.

The teen appeared in court from the Edmonton Young Offender Centre on CCTV.

“He’s says he’s taking courses about alcohol and he’s made up his mind to stop drinking,” said his lawyer, Harry Jong.

“He says he did a stupid drunk act.”

Jong says the gun was “broken” and didn’t work.

“Nobody got hurt,” Jong said.

During his period of probation, the teen is ordered to abstain from alcohol and drugs, take counselling and treatment as directed, and is prohibited from using firearms.