Sentence | No guarantee addict will get help

A5

By MICHAEL STAPLES
staples.michael@dailygleaner.com

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It will be up to the federal prison system to help a Fredericton man with his drug addiction.

Provincial court Judge Mary Jane Richards gave Michael Larry Humble, 44, of 417 Union St., a chance to receive drug treatment when she sentenced him Friday to a total of two years plus a day on five Criminal Code charges.

Richards said by sending Humble to federal penitentiary, there's the possibility he'll get the assistance he needs.

Humble pleaded guilty earlier this month to April 6-7 charges of theft from Giant Tiger on Union Street, two associated counts of probation violation and one April 7 count of threatening a Giant Tiger staff member.

Humble told the court last week that he's been unable to get help for his problem and he wanted to be sentenced to federal prison so he can access drug-treatment programs behind bars.

At the time, Richards expressed doubt that even a federal prison sentence would help Humble, pointing out that she sees offenders time and time again, who have served federal time, back in court accused of crimes related to drug addiction.

Richards said those people have spoken of a lack of programs in prison. She set over sentencing to Friday so that Humble's could compile information on treatment options.

Duty counsel Edward Derrah said there are drug programs available in the federal system, but whether Humble can access them while in prison is another matter.

"It's the luck of the draw to a certain extent," Derrah said.

Richards told Humble that she couldn't sentence him to a drug program but, by sending him to a federal institution, officials have to at least look at helping him.

"Mr. Humble is a petty thief who steals to provide for his habit - Dilaudid," Richards said.

In a letter to the court, Humble said he has wanted to get into the methadone treatment program in Fredericton for some time but never makes it that far because he keeps reoffending.

When that happens, his name is placed on the bottom of the waiting list and the cycle starts again.

Methadone is a synthetic opiate that prevents withdrawal symptoms and opium cravings.

It comes in a powder and a pharmacist mixes it with orange juice for the person to drink every day.

Humble wrote that all he thinks of when in jail is Dilaudid and that it controls his mind 24/7 like a computer chip.

Dilaudid, once used only for terminally ill patients, is now routinely prescribed for a multitude of pain symptoms.

Crown prosecutor William Corby said Humble deserved to do time behind bars, but pointed out that provincial jail wouldn't help him with regard to addiction treatment.

In delivering sentence, Richards said Humble had 39 previous offences - many of which were property related.

Looking at Humble's lengthy criminal history, in combination with what occurred this month, meant that he was deserving of a lengthy term of incarceration, the judge said.