Drew and Paul Johnson plan to ask that their trial be held separately from the trial of three other men charged with the same crimes.
The Johnson brothers are in jail awaiting trial on 14 assault and weapons charges connected with the "hicks with sticks" attack in Pender Harbour May 23. Three other men accused in the same incident, Daryl Costello, Daniel Wood and Michael Webb, are free on bail, and their lawyer is not available for a trial until the summer of 2005.
On Aug. 31, the Johnsons will make an application to sever their trial from the other three men's. Costello, Wood and Webb are scheduled to fix a date for their trial on Sept. 8.
Staff nab shoplifter
An employee and a customer at J&B Consulting, a computer store in Teredo Square in downtown Sechelt, chased down a shoplifter on foot Feb. 11, 2004.
They recovered a $259 X-Box stolen from the store and detained the man until police arrived. A police search discovered a $1,000 digital camcorder, stolen from the RapidEdge computer store in the Trail Bay Centre, stuffed down the man's pant leg.In Sechelt provincial court Aug. 24, 34-year-old Jeremy Wetzel pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property under $5,000.
According to the Crown prosecutor, Wetzel struggled free and was recaptured several times before police arrived.
Wetzel told police he was stealing to support his drug habit. He started taking drugs in 2002 after his marriage broke up and was addicted to both heroin and cocaine when he stole the electronic equipment.
Wetzel said he has since taken treatment for his addictions and had a spiritual experience that changed his life.
Judge William Rodgers gave Wetzel a suspended sentence, 20 hours of community work and one year of probation, with the condition that he stay away from the Trail Bay Centre and Teredo Square.
"Hopefully you're starting to get away from the drugs," said the judge.
"With your record, if you go back to crime, it'll be jail time."
Pollution charges
More Marine Ltd. and the motor vessel Gulf Prince are each facing three pollution charges for an alleged oil spill in Gibsons Harbour last year.
The case is scheduled for trial in Sechelt provincial court Sept. 20, but on Aug. 24 the former president of More Marine said he "thought it would be expeditious to plead guilty."
