Letter of Support from the Princeton RCMP
COURT NEWS - September 14, 2006
TULAMEEN BUSH PARTY ENDS IN COURT
Two groups camped in Tulameen on the May long weekend of 2004, and events of that weekend brought them to court in Princeton on September 14.
Kieran Faraher-Amidon of White Rock stood trial on a charge of aggravated assault of Steven Lloyd of Langley.
Lloyd testified that he and a group of friends had gone to Tulameen and set up camp along the river on the Friday of the long weekend. The following day, a group of grads from Semiahmoo Secondary School had arrived to set up their camp nearby. The two groups had mingled on friendly terms during the evening, drinking and smoking pot.
Early Sunday morning, Lloyd was preparing to go to bed when he discovered his air mattress was missing. He went to his friend's tent to reclaim it and they engaged in a loud, but good-natured argument over who ought to have the air mattress.
As their argument continued, a small group gathered around them. One of the Semiahmoo students attempted to intervene, and was told to go back to his own camp and mind his own business. Then Lloyd was struck over the back of the head. He was knocked unconscious. He did not know who hit him.
While he was recovering from skull fractures, the White Rock local newspaper published the names and photographs of all of the grads of 2004. Lloyd's friends recognized one of the grads as the person who had struck Lloyd and told him about it. The police were informed.
Lloyd said he had suffered severe hearing loss in addition to the skull fracture and leakage of spinal fluid from his ear. He had been forced to spend almost a year doing very little in order to recover enough to continue his education.
Two young women who were grads of 2004 testified that they had seen Kieran Faraher-Amidon rush from the bushes and hit Lloyd over the head with a large flashlight, then disappear for an hour. One of the women said she saw the defendant come back to the campfire about an hour later, and heard others ask him why he had hit Lloyd. She said Faraher-Amidon replied, "He deserved it."
Defense Counsel tried to shake the testimony of the two women, but without success. Although both admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages, both were absolutely certain of their identification of Faraher-Amidon as the attacker.
Other witnesses provided testimony that confirmed that of the two women.
Judge G. Sinclair found Faraher-Amidon guilty based on the steadfast testimony of the two young women. Sentencing is set to take place September 25th.
ASSAULT NETS PROBATION
Michael Barnetson was sentenced September 14 in Provincial Court in Princeton. He had been charged with assault, and entered a guilty plea.On May 1, 2005, Barnetson had gone to his grandmother's home and was denied entry.
He was told he was not welcome there until he had dealt with his drug problem. He became angry and began pushing around two people in the house.
The 20 year old New Westminster resident had been arrested and released with several conditions, with which he had complied. He had been dealing with his problem with crystal meth and cocaine, and now is working full time.
Judge G. Sinclair placed Barnetson on a one year probation with conditions including counselling for substance abuse and violence prevention.
TWO LOSE LICENCES
Harold A. Taylor, a resident of Whitecourt, Alberta, appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on September 14 to plead guilty to an impaired driving charge. He had been stopped by police on June 13 and showed signs of impairment. A subsequent breat test provided readings of .140.Judge G. Sinclair ordered Taylor to pay a $600 fine and prohibited him from driving anywhere in Canada for one year.
In Provincial Court in Princeton on September 14, Charles Hargrove entered a guilty plea to an impaired driving charge. Hargrove was stopped by police on June 17 in Coalmont. He showed signs of impairment and was taken for a breath test, where readings of .50 were obtained.
The 62 year old Princeton resident was sentenced to a $600 fine and a one year driving prohibition.
Province of British Columbia Criminal Court Lists
