The 18-year-old first offender pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and one count of possession of property obtained by crime after participating in a scheme to steal cars from dealerships.
The Crown sought 8 to 12 months of custody, while the defence sought a conditional discharge.
The court applied the Priest principle, emphasizing specific deterrence and rehabilitation for youthful first offenders committing non-violent crimes.
Finding that a criminal record would disproportionately impact the offender's rehabilitation and future employment prospects, the court granted a conditional discharge with 30 months of probation, 75 hours of community service, and a $1,000 victim fine surcharge.
