A provincial court judge paused to ask if a Keremeos man was impaired, while sentencing him for drug offenses in Princeton circuit court March 12, .
“Are you on something right now?” questioned Judge Greg Koturbash. “I’m not saying you are…[but] I can’t imagine almost falling asleep during a sentencing that I’m being sentenced in.”
Donovan Costa, 32, told the court he was simply tired.
“I’m not so sure what you are experiencing is tiredness,” replied Koturbash.
Costa pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance.
He was fined $500, and forfeited two knives that were confiscated by police when he was arrested on Dec. 6, 2018.
Court heard Costa was pulled over and arrested in Princeton on an outstanding breach of probation warrant. An incidental search turned up seven grams of meth, 2.4 grams of cocaine, the knives and $700 in cash.
“It appears you had a little pharmacy on board,” said Koturbash.
Attorney Norman Yates, appearing by phone on behalf of the federal prosecutor in the matter, noted Costa cooperated with RCMP and has not come to the negative attention of police since his arrest.
The sentence was recommended to the court by both the crown and the defense.
Koturbash directed that the $500 fine be paid out of the cash that was seized by police, with the balance of the money being returned to Costa.
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