A Prince George woman was sentenced to two years less a day Thursday in Prince George provincial court for her part in a home invasion last fall.
Prior to sentencing, a tearful Stephanie Ellen Matthews, 25, apologized for the crime she committed. The court earlier heard a story of a young woman who slid into extreme drug addiction over about a half year following the death of her parents.
"I'd just like to say that I'm not the person who committed those crimes a year ago and that's not who I am," Matthews told Judge Michael Gray. "And I'm very sorry for what I've done and I'm standing here today before you to suffer the consequences of my actions."
The outcome stems from an Oct. 15, 2010 incident in which two women - Matthews and, allegedly, Celina Ann Turzanski - attempted to rob a reputed crack shack in the 2600 block of Quince Street.
Crown prosecution alleges Turzanski, who has pleaded not guilty and faces a trial in early December, had attended the home earlier the same day asking for money and was sent on her way empty handed.
"[Turzanski] left making a a big deal about 'I'll lock the door on my way out, I'll lock the door,' something the residents found a little obscure," Crown counsel Geoffrey McDonald told the court.
The residents locked the door and set the alarm, which was tripped a short time later. When one of the residents opened the door, McDonald said he found Turzanski and a woman he did not recognize who was brandishing a weapon that Crown and defence agreed not to specify.
Leblond painted a picture of a young mother of two in a common law marriage who went on a quick slide into addiction to crystal methamphetamine when the death of her father in September 2008 was followed by the death of her mother in March 2009, losing her family in the process.
"She had lost both her parents in a very short period of time and began to lose control of her life," Leblond said. "She began to suffer from significant depression and began to start use illicit drugs as a means of self treatment for that depression."
Gray acknowledged Matthews's efforts to rehabilitate but added the sentencing for the crime she committed requires deterrence and denunciation because it's a public safety issue even though the target was a home from where people have been known to deal drugs.
"This a huge issue in terms of safety and security," Gray said. "Going into a residence, whether it be one where there is criminal activity or not, you put all sorts of people at risk - not at that residence perhaps but at an adjoining residence."
In sentencing Matthews, Gray endorsed a joint submission from McDonald and Leblond.
Matthews has credit for 10 months time served, which means she'll serve another 14 months behind bars. She was also sentenced to two years probation and issued a 10-year firearms prohibition.
Matthews also received 14 days in jail and two years probation for an assault from a July 30, 2010 dispute with a family member.
