CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - A woman battling mental health issues was handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to causing a disturbance by screaming at her neighbours in Charlottetown while banging a baseball bat.
Thursday, Provincial Court Judge John Douglas also placed Sharon Lynn MacKinnon, 59, on probation for 15 months and ordered her to follow the care plan of her psychiatrist.
MacKinnon’s lawyer Thane MacEachern noted the woman was “not in very good shape’’ at the time last summer when she caused disturbances at her residence on Parkdale Crescent. She also pleaded guilty to stealing cigarettes from Parkdale Irving around the same period.
MacEachern told the court his client suffers from bipolar disease, which is a manic-depressive illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
He adds MacKinnon is “quite stable right now.’’
MacKinnon told the court she is living well now and just wants to get on with her life.
