By Taylor MacPherson

Bong assault leads to guilty plea

Jan 10, 2017 | 1:52 PM

Possessing a bong will not get you in trouble, but using it to commit a serious assault is a different story.

Carson Nathan Ballantyne, 28, entered the guilty plea to a charge of aggravated assault this afternoon at Prince Albert’s Court of Queen’s Bench. The assault, court heard, dates back to May 18 when Ballantyne attacked an associate’s girlfriend using the water pipe, causing injuries.

Ballantyne pleaded not guilty to a second charge of assault with a weapon. Senior Crown Prosecutor Cynthia Alexander indicated the second charge will be withdrawn at the time of sentencing.

Defence lawyer Ian Goldberg requested a pre-sentence report be ordered by the court, which will canvass the various cultural and social factors which have influenced Ballantyne, with particular attention to his status as an Indigenous offender. Judge Daniel Konkin accepted the request and ordered the report.

Ballantyne sat calmly throughout the brief proceeding, wearing a red flannel shirt and leg irons in the prisoner’s box and only speaking to enter his pleas.

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A sentencing hearing was set for March 27, and Ballantyne was remanded into custody until that date. The sentencing hearing is expected to be contested, Goldberg noted, as the defence will likely be seeking a sentence of time served.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

@TMacPhersonNews

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been closed to commenting because this matter is still before the court.