Brief brush with freedom

A 37-year-old inmate who violated his halfway house curfew to drink at the Tulugaq bar on Jan. 14 was sentenced to three months at Baffin Correctional Centre for escaping custody.

Justice Beverly Browne scolded the inmate, Joshua Hunter, for his actions: “You could not have exercised more bad judgment if you tried,” Browne said.

Hunter was serving a 12-month sentence for assault at the time of his curfew violation. Halfway house staff notified police after Hunter missed his 10 p.m. curfew. RCMP officers found Hunter at the bar. He smelled of alcohol, court heard, and was in possession of three syringes.

Euan Mackay said his client was not a drug user. He said Hunter simply “picked up” the syringes from the ground.

Before sentencing, Hunter offered an apology. “It was a stupid, stupid thing to do and I’m sorry,” he said.