DRUG WORLD EXPOSED DURING SENTENCING HEARING

A 20-year-old man on a hunt for drugs stood over the bleeding dealer he had
just stabbed in the back and delivered a chilling ultimatum, according to
Crown counsel Bruce Goddard

"I'm going to stand here and watch you die until you give me some [drugs,
you] f--k," said Goddard in recounting the words of Jonathan Joseph Thomas
who was demanding drugs and money from his victim, 56-year-old Donald Walters.

On Tuesday in Campbell River provincial court, Thomas was sentenced to a
total of 34 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault
and robbery.

The harsh reality of Campbell River's drug underground came to light during
the sentencing hearing. Thomas was on bail for a robbery charge when he
went to Walters' apartment, located in the 600 block of 9th Avenue, just
after midnight on Sept. 22.

According to Goddard, Walters admitted to police that he dealt drugs but
had never sold any to Thomas, whom he described as someone who would "bum"
drugs. He also told police that Thomas was better known as "Ray."

Thomas followed Walters into his third-floor apartment and demanded cash
and drugs from the dealer who said he had neither. Thomas then grabbed a
long knife and plunged it into Walters' back. The victim's pitbull dog was
also stabbed.

After the stabbing Walters tried to protect himself with a baseball bat but
could not stand up and dragged himself out the front door after Thomas had
fled the scene.

A neighbour found Walters collapsed outside his front door, bleeding and
saying, "That f---ing Ray guy. Call 911! Call 911!" said Goddard in reading
from the police report.

Thomas was caught by police four days later and has remained in jail since
Sept. 26. As for Walters, the knife attack left a two-inch wound in his
back resulting in nerve damage that has affected the use of his left leg.

"He will spend considerable time in hospital," noted Goddard.

Defence counsel James Hormoth admitted to Judge Brian Saunderson that his
client's aggravated assault was a serious charge that stemmed from a
relationship involving Campbell River's drug underworld.

"It's a wonder to me situations like this don't happen more often," said
Hormoth who added that there was more to his client's story but did not
elaborate.

Thomas was handed a 30-month sentence for aggravated assault. He must also
provide a DNA sample to a national registry and was banned for life from
possessing firearms.

In addition, he will serve an addition four months for a robbery which
occurred July 30. In that incident Thomas was drunk and stoned on magic
mushrooms when he was passenger in a pickup truck which drove past a man
seated near the corner of Niluht Drive and Shellbourne Blvd. just after 10 p.m.

After noticing the man wearing "flashy jewellry," Thomas got out of the
truck, confronted him and told him to hand over his necklace. When the man
refused Thomas said, "We can do this the hard way," Goddard told the court.

Thomas ripped the chain from the man's neck and then the victim handed over
his bracelet and a cellular phone.

The next day the victim's father located the suspect vehicle and called
police. RCMP officers were told by the vehicle owner that Thomas was their man.

Officers finally caught up with Thomas on Aug. 15 when they found him
riding in a vehicle. At first he told police his name was Ben Thomas but
later he admitted to his real name and was charged with robbery.

He also assisted police in recovering the jewellry which he had given away
or sold. The cell phone had been tossed into an alley and was never recovered.

Thomas was on bail for robbery when he stabbed Walters.

"This was a very serious assault with serious consequences," said judge
Saunderson.