“completely incorrigible”

30 months yet to serve for 51 year old Steven Joseph Godbout, no fixed address, convicted of five criminal offences this week in a Penticton courtroom.

On February 17th, 2018 at 0740 am RCMP officers attended an building on Main St in Oliver as a witness reported a male carrying a large axe had used it to break an entrance a door and go inside.

The apartment was located on top of a closed business south of Big Al’s bakery and deli and believed to be unoccupied.

Police Dog Service (PDS) was contacted from Penticton RCMP and members set up a perimeter at the location until PDS arrived.

The apartment was searched and members discovered the male had now gone into the business through an access door. PDS member and police dog “Harro” entered the business. The police dog located a male hiding behind a door to one of the offices and made contact. The PDS member observed the male had an axe raised preparing to strike the police dog.

The PDS member was close enough to use this moment, while the suspect was being distracted by the police dog, to grab the axe handle. A brief struggle ensued over the axe and it was removed from the suspects grip. The male was restrained and arrested by peace officers.

Godbout, 51, was convicted of five offences following a one-day trial in provincial court:

Two counts of breaching probation and

single counts of breaking and entering, resisting arrest and

assaulting a police officer with a weapon.

Godbout’s record had 29 prior convictions for breaking and entering on it when he was sentenced in July 2016 to two years in jail for breaking into an equipment shed next to a cell phone tower on Oliver Mountain just days before the tower was toppled by a vandal.

“Your actions and your record have demonstrated to me that you’re completely incorrigible,” said Judge Greg Koturbash.  Cost to replace Telus cell tower: $500,000.00

Source: with files from Penticton Herald