(Submitted photo/Prince Albert Police)

By Nigel Maxwell

Crime

‘Firearms have been a significant issue in this community’: vehicle search leads to guilty pleas

Mar 10, 2021 | 1:13 PM

A routine traffic stop in Prince Albert that led to a number of guns being found, including a tactical rifle, has led to guilty pleas.

Tara Bird, 31, and Raini Scott Henderson, 31, were originally scheduled to face trial Wednesday at Prince Albert Provincial Court, in relation to the incident last November. Instead, both parties entered guilty pleas to a charge of being in a vehicle knowing there were firearms present but not having a valid license for the weapons.

Bird and Henderson have been in custody since the incident and essentially each received a sentence of time served. Upon her release, Bird will have to abide by a nine month probation order, while Henderson will be on probation for 12 months. The difference is largely based on their prior criminal records and Henderson’s is more extensive, including a number of weapons-related offences.

The probation conditions will include a 24 hour curfew for the first six months, reporting to a probation officer, as well as assessment for addictions issues. Both must also abide by a 10-year firearms prohibition order.

The incident in question happened on Nov. 5, 2020 in the area of the 2600 block of second Ave. W. According to the statement of facts read in court by Crown Prosecutor Keith Amyotte, police observed a vehicle with an expired license plate. While speaking with the occupants, the officer noticed the scope and stock of a rifle, covered by a hoodie in the back seat.

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“The officer withdrew his firearm and called for assistance,” Amyotte said

Henderson (the driver) and Bird (the passenger) were soon after arrested without further incident. From the vehicle, police seized a Mossberg 22 caliber tactical rifle, as well as a brown stock 303 british rifle, and some ammunition. Two other non-functioning guns were also found, as well as a “bong.”

Bird’s lawyer Loree Richardson noted that, prior to the incident, Bird had been hanging out with gang members and was dealing with some addictions issues. She also acknowledged that despite the resolution on this file, Bird remains in custody on other matters and has a pending court date on March 16.

Bird was one of seven people charged in the death last year of Dylan Chretien, and is accused of being an accessory to murder after the fact.

Henderson’s lawyer Julia Quigley noted, had the case gone to trial, she would have raised a number of charter-related issues with respect to the arrest. She also noted Henderson’s troubled and difficult past which included being hit by a train at the age of 7 followed by a two year stay in hospital. Quigley also noted Henderson has essentially been fending for himself since a young age, and lost his key support, his brother, to suicide in 2015.

Judge J. Lubyk explained that based on the evidence before the court, he could not find that the joint submission by the lawyers would not be contrary to the public interest. He did however acknowledge the seriousness of the matter.

“Obviously, firearms have been a significant issue in this community and continue to be so,” he said.

By the numbers

According to information presented during last month’s Board of Police Commissioners meeting, the total number of firearms seized by police in January was 8, which was lower than the five year average of 9.8.

For all of 2020, there were 154 related seizures, which represented the highest number in five years, and led to 229 charges being laid.

In terms of where the weapons were being found, vehicle searches turned up the most with 61, followed by residences (60) and person searches (20).

The most common types of guns found were rifle (46), sawed off rifle (25), shot gun (20), and sawed off shot gun (20).

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell