NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
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Penticton teacher speaks out on actions that led to suspension
VOL. 46 ISSUE 90
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GOING THE DISTANCE — Instructor Sarah Williams of Outma Sqilx’w Cultural School greets Honey Baptiste at the finish line of the Moccasin Mile Run held earlier this week at the Penticton Indian Reserve. Students from four South Okanagan First Nation schools took part in the annual fun event. Mark Brett/Western News
GRANDSON GUILTY OF ATTACK Kristi Patton
Western News Staff
Justice Alison Beames did not believe the tale of self-defence told by the man accused of violently beating his grandfather in Penticton. Because of the “grievous bodily harm” inflicted to the grandfather, Beames said self-defence was no defence for Greg Ailles. “I reject his explanation of what happened,” said Beames. “I don’t accept that the accused was attacked out of the blue by the grandfather, or at all.” Ailles was found guilty of aggravated assault, two counts of unlawful confinement or imprisonment, a lesser charge of assault, possession of a firearm contrary to order and a lesser charge of theft under $5,000. Ailles testified on Tuesday that his grandfather, Grant (Sandy) Ailles, was the one that sparked a frenzied assault on Dec. 29, 2008 and
he was simply trying to defend himself. The grandfather, who was left blind and confined to a wheelchair after the assault, had little memory of the incident and could not offer much in terms of evidence when he took the stand last week. His injuries were so severe he vomited blood that had drained from the fractures in his face, had nine fractured ribs, his eyeball was ruptured and he spent almost 60 days in hospital recovering — 10 of those in intensive care. This left only one other person who witnessed the attack, the grandmother Lois Ailles. She died in 2009 of cancer before she could testify in court. Justice Beames allowed audio and video recorded statements taken by police from the grandmother to be admissible. Beames found an audio statement gathered by RCMP shortly after they arrived on scene at the grandparents’ residence on Balfour Avenue to be the best account. Lois said she had heard what sounded like an argument or a fight com-
ing from downstairs and went to check on her husband who was calling out for her. “Clearly what she actually saw was a oneperson assault, not a fight,” said Beames in her judgment. Greg Ailles testified he was only trying to get away from his grandfather’s attack and used as little force as he could. He denied ever hitting the then 75-year-old old man with any object. According to Ailles, his grandfather landed several punches and blows to his face, which left him with a possible broken nose and a fractured hand. Beames said police photos show few, if any, injuries to the accused, and a radiologist found nothing wrong with his hand. Paramedics who attended to the grandfather noted severe redness and marks to his torso and legs, injuries they said could only have come from some sort of object like a pipe or bat. But that alone was not enough for Beames to determine guilt on the assault with a weapon charge,
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as no DNA could be pulled from the pipe found in the basement, with that charge being stayed. The grandmother said the couple were tied up with electrical cords their grandson found in the basement before he fled, taking their car, three guns and some cash. Greg said he did tie his grandfather up, but only to prevent him from continuing his attack. He also said it was done with the assistance of his grandmother. “It is unbelievable that Lois Ailles would have helped tie up her own husband,” said Beames. The judge was not satisfied with the evidence of robbery, finding the 38-year-old not guilty on that count. He has been in custody since he was arrested a day after the attack. Crown counsel Bill Hilderman submitted an application that a dangerous offender assessment be conducted over the next 45 days. A court date has been set of Jan. 3, 2013 to find out if the assessment is complete and to fix a date for sentencing.
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