Neqotkuk woman handed house arrest, community service
Jennifer Louise Paul, 45, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for trial in provincial court on Sept. 13 and changed her plea to guilty on three charges laid by RCMP.
Paul pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, obstructing police, and possession of a firearm (a rifle) without a licence for an incident on Dec. 3, 2021, at Neqotkuk.
Judge Sebastian Michaud handed her three months of house arrest and 20 hours of community service and placed her on 18 months of probation. She was also ordered to seek treatment and counselling for addiction. Paul had no prior criminal record.
“I believe I’ve learned my lesson,” Paul told the court.
The charges were laid after police spotted a vehicle in a driveway at Neqotkuk that matched the description and licence plate of a vehicle stolen in Grand Falls. Paul was ordered to have no contact with the owner.
She was also charged with obstruction for removing items from the stolen vehicle after it was placed in police custody and an unsecured firearm was found in her home. The crown withdrew two other charges.
Defence Counsel Josh Adams said Paul and her husband, Nicholas Paul, ran into trouble with the law after getting involved in drugs in 2019. Nicholas Paul spent time in jail on multiple charges and was recently released on house arrest. They told the court they had both been sober for the last six months.
In custody awaiting plea
Edward Hayes Jr., 29, of Benton, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 for plea on several charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. to allow him more time to secure legal counsel.
Hayes was denied bail on Aug. 29. He was charged with refusing a breathalyzer demand, resisting arrest, assaulting two police officers, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, assault on a female victim, mischief causing property damage to a vehicle, and driving while prohibited in connection with an incident on Aug. 27 at Centreville.
Hayes also faces a separate charge of assault involving a female on June 17 at a residence in Centreville. The court heard he had an unpaid fine of $550 for another offence, and a default hearing was adjourned until his next court appearance.
Neqotkuk man to stand trial
Brandon Michael Francis, 29, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges laid by RCMP. His trial dates were set for Nov. 22 at 9:30 a.m. and Nov. 25 at 9:30 a.m.
Francis was denied bail on Aug. 29. RCMP charged him with four counts of committing mischief causing property damage, breach of probation, assault involving a female victim, uttering threats and willfully causing injury to a dog by kicking it. The charges were laid in connection with July 17 and July 19 incidents at Neqotkuk. He appeared in court in custody on July 23 and was remanded.
Warrants stay in place
Two Polish immigrants who failed to appear in August on theft charges were represented by their legal counsel during a video conference in provincial court on Sept. 12.
Jan Kaminski, 53, and Monika Kwiatkowska, 44, of Etobicoke, Ontario, were jointly charged by RCMP with four counts of theft. They were released from custody on July 25 on a $1,000 bail bond and ordered to immediately return to their Ontario residence under house arrest.
They were ordered out of New Brunswick after being nabbed for series of thefts linked to the online sale of stolen goods. They were ordered to return to Woodstock for plea on Aug. 27. Arrest warrants were issued when they failed to appear.
During the video conference, Judge Karen Lee told their Ontario lawyer the warrants would stay in place until they return to court in person on Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
The theft charges were laid following a series of shoplifting incidents at Best Home Hardware stores in Florenceville-Bristol and Hartland on March 5, at Best Home Hardware in Florenceville-Bristol on July 3, and at Brennan Home Hardware in Florenceville-Bristol on July 20.
Kaminski and Kwiatkowska were arrested in connection with numerous thefts in New Brunswick and across Canada including Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. A Polish interpreter assisted with their arraignment in court in Woodstock on July 25.
They allegedly advertised items for sale online via Facebook Marketplace and on Amazon. Once an interested buyer was identified, the two accused made a list of items and stole them from different businesses. They would then immediately ship the items to the buyer. Police are actively working to determine if there were other victims.
Nortondale woman charged
Kayley Briand, 23, of Nortondale, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an impaired driving charge.
Woodstock Police charged Briand in connection with an incident on May 17 in Woodstock. She made her first court appearance on Sept. 10 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Plea adjourned on assault charges
Jessica Brewer, 35, of Wakefield, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on two assault charges.
RCMP charged Brewer with assault on a minor and assault with a weapon (plates, spoons and a chair) for an incident between Jan. 1, 2019, and May 20, 2024, in Wakefield. She was ordered to have no contact with the complainant. Brewer made her first court appearance on Sept. 10 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Newburg woman returning for plea
Patricia Ann Claus, 29, of Newburg, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on one charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Claus was charged with refusing a breathalyzer demand concerning an incident on Feb. 25 in Woodstock. She made her first court appearance on Sept. 10 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Two charged in Perth-Andover incident
Dana Newell, 38, of Perth-Andover, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 10 to answer several charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned for plea until Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m.
Newell was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm (a sawed-off shotgun), careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of a stolen ATV, and possession of a stolen BB gun, concerning an incident on May 27 in Perth-Andover.
Michael McKee, 18, of Woodstock, was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm (a sawed-off shotgun) stemming from the same incident in Perth-Andover. He appeared in court on Sept. 10 when the matter was adjourned for plea until Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m.
