Kurtis Wayne Hedin was fined $800 for assault and $800 for damages during the Jan. 14 session of Jasper Provincial Court.

Judge Don Norheim said Hedin has until March 25 to pay the fine, as he is not currently employed.

Norheim emphasized that Hedin would go to jail if the fines were not paid off in full by that date.

Hedin was found guilty of assaulting a taxi driver and causing damage less than $500 on Sept. 10, but sentencing was put off until Norheim received a pre-sentencing report from Hedin’s probation officer.

Norheim was unhappy with the report presented on Nov. 26, which stated Hedin was unwilling to co-operate with the officer, and requested a further update prior to his sentencing.

Although there was no written update supplied, the probation officer explained the report to Norheim suggesting that while Hedin had initially resisted giving her the information she required, he did eventually comply with the request.

Norheim questioned the recommendation of probation as an appropriate punishment, as the report said Hedin would not comply with any orders put forward by the court.

The judge highlighted his previous breaches as reason to not put Hedin back on probation.

“He doesn’t accept responsibility for his crimes... He keeps getting into trouble... he’s no longer a kid,” Judge Norheim said.

“I don’t believe I’ve done anything wrong,” Hedin told the court.

Crown Prosecutor Angela Kaj Jensen suggested that this sentiment, coupled with Hedin’s previous breaches meant that a “short, sharp time in incarceration” may be the most appropriate punishment.

Norheim agreed that probation was not the answer. “You don’t seem to learn from probation,” he said before handing down the $1,600 in fines.