Jailing Jason Singer for just three months for stabbing a stranger in a popular Sarnia park decorated for the holiday season felt too short for a local judge.
Jailing Jason Singer for just three months for stabbing a stranger in a popular Sarnia park decorated for the holiday season felt too short for a local judge.
“A blatant assault with a blade in which Mr. Singer stabbed multiple times another person,” Justice Krista Lynn Leszczynski said.
Assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Jones agreed it was a “short-ish” sentence, but explained Singer should get credit for pleading guilty to one count of assault with a weapon as there were going to be some big hurdles if the case went to trial.
“The police have had a difficult time getting in touch with the victim, so Mr. Singer should be given some real credit for stepping forward and owning up to this,” she said. “The award reflects that.”
Defense lawyer James Guggisberg said he expected multiple witnesses would have been hard to find or, if tracked down, may have refused to take the stand.
“My client stepped forward and gave clear instructions that for his part in the melee and for the offensive weapon he accepted responsibility,” he said.
Leszczynski told the lawyers she appreciated those factors as she imposed the suggested 93-day time-served sentence earlier this month.
Jones, though, agreed it was a violent attack.
“It’s quite serious in that way,” she said.
The court heard Singer approached two men in the park, home to the volunteer-run Celebration of Lights from late November to early February, at around 5:30 pm on Dec. 30. An argument turned physical but ended fairly quickly.
Singer then approached the men again – this time while brandishing a silver folding blade.
“(He) attacked (the man) by stabbing him multiple times,” Jones said while reading an agreed statement of facts. “Mr. Singer then fled the area.”
Guggisberg pointed out his client was homeless at the time and was dealing with addiction and potentially other undiagnosed issues. The two men were also making fun of him, he said.
“He was being mocked by these individuals and harassed, but by way of his (guilty) plea he accepts that he had a weapon and that his response was, obviously, criminal,” Guggisberg said.
After the stabbing, Singer fled north into the park.
“It was believed that he was still brandishing the weapon as he walked through a pretty high-traffic area that is used by the public,” Jones said.
The two men kept an eye on him as they called police, who arrived and arrested Singer.
The extent of the injuries to the victim, who declined to give a statement, weren’t known, but Singer accepted a chance to address the court.
“I’d just like to say thank you to everyone that has rehabilitated me since I was housed in the jail and thank you for your time,” he said from the South West Detention Center near Windsor on March 2. “Basically all I can say. Thank you.”
Singer was released that day, but has a one-year probation order banning him from contacting the two men and five other people. He’s also banned from weapons for 10 years and the blade was forfeited.
Other charges were withdrawn.