Bradley Wicks went into the Circle K at the corner of Indian Road and Confederation Street on Oct. 22 around 12:30 am, police said at the time.
Bradley Wicks went into the Circle K at the corner of Indian Road and Confederation Street on Oct. 22 around 12:30 am, police said at the time.
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“The male was acting erratically and in a threatening manner, causing staff to lock themselves in the office to call police. The male party then jumped over the counter, stealing alcohol and other items before leaving the store,” police said.
Police arrested Wicks, who was on bail at the time and had two separate probation orders in effect, in the area, police said. Wicks, 32, was charged with theft and two counts of breaching probation and was held for bail, they said.
He recently pleaded guilty to theft and one of the probation counts and was sentenced to just shy of two months in jail. There was some debate in court over whether Wicks ran toward the clerk that night, but it was agreed he intimidated the man, who was working by himself.
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“The intimidation of the store clerk, I think, is significant,” assistant Crown attorney Sarah Carmody said.
Wicks got bail later that day, but he was arrested again after another incident on Oct. 24 at the Real Canadian Superstore and a nearby bank.
Defense lawyer Autumn Johnson said her client started experiencing mental health issues, including hearing voices, about 1.5 years ago and he’s since lost his job and his home. She pointed out her criminal record was clean until earlier this year.
Wicks was sentenced in February to about five months in jail for guilty pleas to a series of crimes during several months in 2023 including criminal harassment, mischief, theft, uttering threats, forcible entry and breaching bail. Defense lawyer Robert McFadden told the judge at the time his client was paranoid when he first met him in December 2023. A psychiatrist assessed him in January as he was having mental health issues, which were exacerbated by using crystal meth and marijuana.
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“The drug use has got to stop,” Justice Mark Poland said at the time. “The sad reality is, if you don’t stop with that kind of behavior, taking drugs, that’s going to engage your mental health challenges again, you’re going to find yourself back here, back in jail.”
Justice Paul Kowalyshyn, who recently sentenced Wicks for the incident with the store clerk, said although things have gone completely south for him, stealing is wrong and illegal.
“There is no need to steal,” he said.
Wicks appeared to become upset near the end of his sentencing, repeatedly saying, “I shouldn’t even be in jail.”
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