Sarnia, ON, Canada

Monday 28 May, 2007

Teen sentenced for bouncer brawl

A good student's mysterious encounter with alcohol landed her a community service order Thursday in Sarnia court.

The 16-year-old was convicted of violating a previous court order prohibiting her from consuming alcohol despite her testimony she had not been drinking.

Under the restrictions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act the girl's identity cannot be published.

On Jan. 4 at about 10 p.m., the teen's father drove her to a Sarnia bar holding an all-ages event that did not involve alcohol.

The father testified she had not been drinking before she arrived at the bar.

An hour later the teen was involved in a shoving match with a doorman at the bar, seen by two plain-clothes detectives from the Sarnia morality squad. The officers testified she was under the influence of alcohol and had intially given them a false name.

There was no indication where she obtained the alcohol.

The teen admitted to being in the shoving match with the doorman, but denied she had consumed alcohol.

The officers' evidence regarding her slurred speech and an alcohol odour was consistent with drinking, Justice Mark Hornblower said.

After the conviction, the court was told her latest report card showed she had an 80 per cent grade average.

Hornblower said the teen's school record was a significant, positive factor in placing her on probation for nine months. Her previous youth offence record, including an ongoing probation order, had been admitted.

As a condition of the latest probation order, the teen must perform 20 hours of community service. She indicated to the court she was familiar with the concept given she was already under a probation order.

Also, Hornblower prohibited the teen from being in any licensed establishment unless a parent was with her.