![['Summerside Provincial Courthouse.']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/summerside-courthouse-3149931.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=compress%2Cenhance%2Cformat)
Joshua James Jenkins, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of being an accessory after the fact to an offence by aiding in an escape.
He was sentenced to serve 396 days in jail, 24 months of probation and must pay a $200 victim surcharge. He received credit for 102 days he has already spent in jail since his arrest.
Jenkins was one of four co-accused arrested in relation to what RCMP called two separate, but related, break and enters in Stratford and Borden-Carleton on July 29.
The other three accused were Harrison William Snow, 26, Jacqueline Veronica Richard, 28, and Travis Donald Jay, 25.
Jenkins’ is the first of the four cases to conclude. Jay, Richard and Snow are all scheduled to enter their pleas on Oct. 12. They are all facing charges of breaking and entering, disguising their identities during an offence and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Jenkins had originally faced the same charges, but they were dropped and he pleaded guilty to aiding after the fact.
At the time RCMP said, a man and woman entered a residence that day in Stratford around 1:30 p.m. and robbed the male resident of a quantity of cash. The victim was also struck with a metal object, suffering minor injuries.
They added, that later the same day, at around 11 p.m., two men and a woman entered a residence in Borden-Carleton and assaulted several people there. At least two of the victims were struck with a baseball bat.
According to the facts of the case presented in court, Wednesday, Jenkins was a passenger in a car that travelled from Summerside to Borden-Carleton on the night in question. There were three other people in the car, allegedly Jay, Snow and Richard.
Jenkins was not aware that the other three people in the car intended to commit a robbery when they reached their destination. On the way, when he asked, what the plan was he was told “don’t worry about it.”
When they arrived in Borden-Carleton, Jenkins stayed in the car while the three others got out, one of them carrying a baseball bat.
A short time later, Jenkins heard screaming. One of his male companions ran back to the car and told him he’d have to drive as the former driver had been pepper-sprayed.
Jenkins started driving away and stopped to pick up the other two companions a short distance away; one of them had been sprayed as well.
Jenkins then drove everyone to a service station where the who had been sprayed tried to clear the faces with milk.
Jenkins drove everyone back to Summerside and was arrested and charged along with Snow and Richard a short time later. Jay was arrested a few days later.
The charges against Jay, Richard and Snow have not been proven in court.
Police never explained how the Borden-Carleton attack was related to the Stratford incident and that information was not laid out in the facts of the case read during Jenkins’ sentencing.
@JournalPMacLean
