A Sudbury teenager was given credit for starting to turn his life around, but that didn?t prevent a judge from sending him to jail for three months for a brazen break and enter of his neighbour?s home last fall.
Matthew Dubois, 19, pleaded guilty to smashing a basement window and entering the premises, along with another young man, and then stealing thousands of dollars in jewelry, clothing, coins and electronic equipment.
Defence counsel Craig Fleming said since the teen?s arrest, he has found a job and quit using drugs.
His drug use was a key reason for his involvement in the crime, said Fleming.
?Matthew has discovered he likes working more than using drugs,? said Fleming.
His client has made great strides in turning his life around, and a long period of probation and a restitution order would be an appropriate sentence, he said.
Assistant Crown attorney Philip Zylberberg disagreed. While Dubois deserves credit for attempting to better his life, he committed a serious crime.
Considering Dubois has a previous criminal record, the Crown would have asked for much more than two to three months in jail if not for the changes in this accused?s life, said Zylberberg.
Justice William Fitzgerald said Dubois should be commended for changing his life around, but those changes aren?t sufficient to warrant him staying out
of jail.
?This is your day of reckoning...you made a decision to break into your neighbour?s home...and there?s a price to pay for that,? he said.
After the 90-day sentence was imposed, Dubois? mother burst into tears.
Fleming told reporters Dubois will probably lose his job because of the sentence and could resort to his previous ways.
