SWEETHEART SENTENCE

If you are a defence lawyer in Smithers, forget about trying to work
out a sweetheart plea bargain deal for your drug trafficking client
- -- let the judge do it for you.

After three years of grinding its way through what is loosely called
our justice system, a 24-year-old Prince George woman was found
guilty of trafficking crystal meth.

Charissa Scarrow was charged in Telkwa on Oct. 9, 2003 and on June
29, 2006, Smithers judge John Milne handed down the sentence.

Federal Crown attorney Rick Wozny asked for a 12-month conditional
sentence, also known as house arrest, as well as, 12 months probation.

Defence attorney Terry Hudson pleaded with Judge Milne for half that,
six months conditional and six months probation.

In passing down his sentence, Judge Milne said he was taking into
consideration the damage crystal meth was doing to the community and
also to send a message.

"There has to be a sentence that indicates to you and others that
trafficking methamphetamines will be dealt with harshly by the
courts," he said.

Given the Crown's request for 12 months house arrest and 12 months
probation, and the defence's hope for six and six, Milne sent his message:

Milne sentenced Scarrow to just four months conditional and no probation.

Milne trumped even the defence's best hopes and did send a clear
message: the revolving doors of Smithers courthouse continue to
circle at a dizzying pace.

The other message was this: Sell crystal meth in the Bulkley Valley
and you will be grounded for a few months -- that's about it.

Scarrow will serve her four-month sentence under house arrest with
certain exceptions. She can go to work, go shopping, go to
counselling and organized religious activities.

Locking them up and throwing away the key isn't the answer, but if
Smithers is going to get a handle on its crime problem, there needs
to be a better message than the one Judge Milne handed down.