A Princeton man is under house arrest for 90 days following his prohibited relationship with a Hedley teenager.
Coleman Aiken is guilty of several probation breaches, including spending time with a young female whom he was ordered by the court to have no contact.
Aiken, 21, was arrested in March after police confronted him in Hedley. He and the girl “had gone up the mountain for a hike,” said Crown Attorney Andrew Vandersluys.
His probation order stemmed from an earlier case when the young woman was assaulted.
The victim, who is now 15, “is not able to provide consent,” said Vandersluys.
He said the young woman has had “many police interactions” including being reported missing and suicidal, as well as incidents involving alcohol.
Vandersluys said the woman’s family expressed concern Aiken was supplying her with alcohol.
“For her health it is not appropriate for them to be together,” said Vandersluys.
Vandersluys sought house arrest, rather than jail time “because I would like to see him continue to work…otherwise I would be seeking a jail sentence.”
Following his house arrest Aiken will be on probation for 12 months, and that order includes a banishment from Hedley, as requested by Vandersluys.
“Hedley is a very small community. I suspect given the history the temptation would be too great.”
Defense counsel Kathryn Lundman said that “I would suggest sometimes peoples’ ages are not the maturity age. Mr. Aiken is very young.”
She stated it was the woman who had reached out to her client.
“I haven’t talked to her in a long time,” claimed Aiken, when asked if he would like to speak before sentencing.
When asked how he would be able to abide by the conditions of his house arrest, and later probation, he said: “I just will. I don’t know. I’ll stick to it. I won’t mess it up.”
Aiken must remain indoors 24 hours a day except to go to work or when given permission by the court.
Judge Greg Kortubash warned Aiken if he breached the conditions of his sentence, he would likely end up serving it behind bars.
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