Devils remain ahead of the pack page 17
Kitty adoption sale at Delta shelter page 16
Tuesday January 8, 2013
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Mandatory gun sentences are unconstitutional: Surrey judge
Jail time for man carrying a loaded firearm is at issue by Sheila Reynolds
A SURREY provincial court judge has ruled that the federal three-year manda-
tory sentence for carrying a loaded, restricted firearm is unconstitutional. Judge James Bahen made the ruling Thursday (Jan. 3) in connection with the sentencing of Glenn Harley Tetsuji Sheck, 31, who was convicted last May of possessing such a gun at a Surrey restaurant two years ago. Bahen adjourned the court proceedings to give Crown prosecutors an opportunity to show the threeyear sentence is reasonable prior to his handing down a sentence. On Nov. 4, 2010, police had Sheck under surveillance and had information he was carrying a fireJudge James Bahen arm in a black Louis Vuitton bag. They watched him leave his home and drive to another house where he spent a brief amount of time. Alone, Sheck then drove to and entered a restaurant on 152 Street in North Surrey at about 7:10 p.m. with the black bag.
Law creates an “arbitrary and fundamentally unjust sentencing process.”
See SENTENCE / Page 2
LEADER FILE PHOTO
A Surrey court judge has ruled that a mandatory minimum jail sentence of three years in jail for carrying a loaded, restricted firearm violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
‘Timing is everything’ for capital projects, mayor says 37-storey tower proposal for North Delta goes forward ahead of completion of new area plan by Kevin Diakiw
PHOTO SUBMITTED
A 37-storey tower is proposed for 80 Avenue and Scott Road.
through a contentious public hearing on Dec. 11 – where 18 people spoke in opposiTHE SOUTH Fraser area’s tallest buildtion, and eight speakers were in favour of ing west of Surrey’s City Centre is being the proposal – and is now headed for final planned for North Delta. consideration by Delta council. A 37-storey tower (12 floors taller than The mixed-use building will include 359 Surrey’s Central City tower) is planned for apartments and a four-storey commercial the corner of 80 Avenue and Scott Road. component with a maximum 2,304 square And it’s being given the preliminary nod meters (24,800 square feet) of floor area. months before the North Delta Area Plan Jason Lewko lives about two kilometers Lois Jackson (NDAP) is complete. away and says the tower is a terrible idea. The NDAP is a blueprint for growth in He says it goes well above North Delta’s the area over the years to come and is just being allowable 14-storey limit and sets a scary precedent. redrawn. “This is the first highrise,” Lewko said Thursday. Nonetheless, the plan for the tall tower went “Just wait.”
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