A woman who has faced dozens of criminal charges over the past few years wept in court and begged a judge for mercy – again.
Destiny C. Sawkins, 37, has appeared almost constantly in Brantford’s Ontario Court over the last several years in what Justice Colette Good called a sophisticated pattern of crime.
“As soon as you get out of custody, you’re right back into this lifestyle until you can no longer get bail and then you plead guilty to a bunch of things,” said the judge.
“You have 96 convictions on your record. The vast majority of them for not following court orders and crimes of dishonesty and fraud.”
Sawkins pleaded guilty last month to five counts of theft under $5,000, three counts of breaching probation, two counts of uttering a forged document, fraud under $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, fraudulently using a credit card, disobeying a court order and failing to attend an undertaking.
Her crimes included stealing hundreds of dollars worth of clothing and groceries on different occasions, forging checks, and theft of mail.
In an impassioned speech to the court, she asked the judge to sentence her to the time she had already served awaiting her trial: 104 days.
“I don’t feel anything would be gained for me to do more time,” Sawkins told the judge.
“I know this is a bold statement but, in my humble opinion, it would do more damage than good.”
The woman said she could understand that Good might doubt her.
Sawkins was before the same judge last October when she pleaded guilty to six charges, saw 10 charges withdrawn and was sentenced to the equivalent of about six months in jail.
She asked for clemency on that occasion, as well.
In March, 2021, Sawkins was before another judge, facing 57 charges and pleaded guilty to six of them.
“I hoping Your Honor will give me a last chance,” Sawkins said, explaining she was desperate to get housing and try and get her children back in her life.
“I don’t want to just exist. I want to embrace life.”
But this time the judge agreed with assistant Crown attorney Cameron Rogers that Sawkins needed a sentence of two years less one day, which would keep her in the provincial jail system.
“The time for ‘time served’ is up,” said Good.
“You’ve been given a multitude of chances to turn things around and you always say you’re going to do those things and you never do. It can no longer be tolerated by this court.”
Sawkins began weeping and begging the judge to change her mind: “Give me a chance! Let me prove to you I can do it!”
When Good was unmoved, Sawkins quickly reversed and said, “Then can you give me two years plus a day and send me to the pen?”
The judge agreed and declined to put Sawkins on yet-another probation term because “she does not follow probation.”
From the court dock, Sawkins then asked for “one crazy, outside-the-box favor” so she could meet with her boyfriend in a court interview room.
Police security denied the request but allowed the pair to exchange a few words in the courtroom.
@EXPSGamble
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