A 20-year-old man from Jasper has been sentenced to 18-months of probation following a guilty plea in an assault charge.

Dustin Hedge was sentenced at the July 22, session of Jasper Provincial Court.

His travels through the court system have taken a lengthy amount of time.

The original offense occurred on August 21, 2009 but Hedge was not charged until December 2009. A guilty plea in the matter was also entered on May 10, but before Hedge could be sentenced, Hedge’s lawyer’s argued they needed time to review his case so they could recommend a proper sentence.

Although he was not charged with sexual assault, Judge Norheim also sentenced Hedge to attend a sexual offender relapse prevention program.

“I’ve read the reports and you don’t have the profile of a sexual offender,” said Judge Don Norheim about Hedge’s case. “It seems you made a very bad error in judgment.”

Hedge’s probation also orders that he not consume any alcohol and that he not frequent any bars. He must also check in with his probation officer whenever the officer requests it.

Judge Norheim justified the lenient sentence for Hedge by stating that he has co-operated thus far. 

“You seem to have co-operated most fully with everything that was asked of you,” said Judge Norheim.