‘I was high on meth’: Man who breaks into RCMP detachment gets jail sentence

By Nigel Maxwell

A man who broke into the RCMP detachment on the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation and proceeded to help himself to any food or drink he could find has received six months of jail time and 12 months of probation.

Russell Knife, 41, appeared by video Monday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court for his sentencing hearing. The incident itself dates back to the morning of July 2.

According to the statement of facts read in court by Crown Prosecutor Gail Douglas, Knife gained entry to the locked RCMP detachment by using a hatchet. He then proceeded to take some food and drink from the cafeteria area’s fridge.

After entering the cell block area, Knife encountered a female guard and asked her why no one came to arrest him.

“He was there to turn himself in,” Douglas explained.

At the time, Knife had been on a number of release conditions and had both failed to report and show up for a scheduled court appearance.

Standing a few feet away from the frightened woman, Knife proceeded to drink some nearby hand sanitizer and sat down in her chair, where he then poured more sanitizer into a mug and drank it.

“She’s scared. She hits the panic alarm,” Douglas said, referring to the guard’s reaction.

Grabbing a nearby bag of pepperoni, Knife soon after stormed out of the office and left the station on foot.

Douglas explained the guard locked herself into the detachment’s garage and called for backup. Meadow Lake RCMP Police Dog Services responded and Knife was located and arrested a short distance away.

When later providing a statement, the guard said her anxiety was driven by the fact she did not know who the intruder was or if he was carrying a weapon, as Knife had been wearing baggy clothes.

When given the opportunity to speak, Knife apologized for his actions and expressed his desire to have his matters dealt with.

“I was high on meth,” he explained.

Noting the emotional impact the event had on the guard, the judge initially expressed concern about the joint submission, referring to it as low.

“It was a very scary situation. She was just doing her job,” he said.

Defence lawyer Dale Blenner-Hasett acknowledged the proposed sentence was low but still within the range for a charge of this nature. He also reiterated his client’s remorse, the early plea and the fact the incident was driven by addiction issues.

Douglas also explained that while the initial break-and-enter had been frightening for the guard, nothing more had come from it as no one was hurt or threatened.

Knife’s probation conditions will include abstaining from drugs and alcohol and also paying for the damage caused to the door, which amounted to $750.