A Keremeos youth pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, in Princeton court Thursday, but that plea was struck down by the court after the boy contradicted statements made by the Crown.
The teen, who was 14 at the time of the alleged offense and cannot be identified under the Young Offenders Act, was camping with two friends at a park near Hedley in September 2017, the court heard.
“The boys were alone and began smoking marijuana, so I understand,” said Crown attorney Andrew Vandersluys.
The accused began to pester one of the other boys by putting his feet on him and there was an altercation.
Vandersluys said later the boys were inside a tent when the accused took his friend’s phone and lighter.
The friend “pulled out a bong and threatened to smash it” unless his property was returned.
The accused youth “pulled out a rusty pair of red handled scissors” and held them to the other boy’s throat, said Vandersluys.
The accused’s father then intervened.
When Judge Michelle Daneliuk asked the boy if the Crown’s version of the events was true he replied: “kind of.”
The teen then consulted with duty counsel Paul Varga, who was acting as agent for his lawyer.
According to Varga his client claimed the scissors “weren’t rusty and weren’t up to his neck…There is some non-clarity,” said Varga. “He’s admitting to an assault but not with a weapon.”
Daneliuk said she was not comfortable letting the plea stand.
“It’s very important I get the facts right,” she said. “The most serious part of this case you are not admitting.”
The boy is to appear again in Princeton in March.
