Crime spree prompted by delusions, court hears

A man who committed a spree of offences while in the “throes of a schizophrenic episode” was sentenced to nine days of time served and two years of probation on Thursday.

Gabriel Beasley, 22, pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court to breaking and entering a business, administering a noxious substance and breaching an undertaking, as well as three counts of mischief, one causing damage to property over $5,000 and another interfering with the lawful operation of a property.

“What I hear from the lawyers is that this was a moment of crisis for you,” Judge Patrick Sullivan said.

Crown attorney Yaso Mathu read the details behind Beasley’s guilty pleas.

At roughly 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 3, Brandon Fire and Emergency Services requested that police go to The Town Centre mall in downtown Brandon. BFES was investigating after fire alarms went off, and responders found the glass in the mall doors had been broken.

Police went to the mall and found more damage to the property. They entered The Brandon Sun office and heard a faint voice and followed it. They found Beasley sitting alone in the front vestibule.

Police took him to Brandon Regional Health Centre for medical clearance since he was highly intoxicated. He was then held in Brandon Police Service cells and released the next day with a condition not to go to The Town Centre mall.

The next day, at around 5 a.m., a security officer from Life’s Journey drop-in shelter called police after Beasley grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed him in the face. He also sprayed other drop-in clients.

He continued to discharge the extinguisher until it was empty and fled.

“This caused significant disruption to the operation of the shelter, as clients of the shelter had to exit the building in minus 35,” Mathu said. “The police say (extinguishers) cause heavy coughing because of the dispersal of the substance, and that it lingers in the air and on nearly every surface.”

Roughly 15 minutes later, Western Security called BPS and said several alarms were activated inside the Western Manitoba Regional Library.

When police arrived, they found a door propped open with a fire extinguisher that had a Life’s Journey tag on it and two smashed windows inside.

Officers searched the library but did not find a suspect. However, several areas of the library were locked, and none of the keyholders were available.

At around 9 a.m. a staff member of the library called police and said the door to the staff bathroom, which was inside one of the locked areas, was locked and they thought the suspect might be inside.

When police arrived, they gained access to the bathroom, which Beasley had barricaded from the inside.

Beasley was arrested and held in custody for five days. He was released after a contested bail hearing.

Since then, Mathu said Beasley has followed his bail conditions and stayed out of trouble.

She asked the court to consider a suspended sentence — meaning a period of probation — or a sentence of time already served.

“I know that that is extremely low for this kind of offending, but I would submit … that sentencing is an art and denunciation and deterrence is important here, and I would feel that … has been proven by the fact that he has stayed out of trouble for the last seven months.”

Defence lawyer Jordon Hildebrandt said Beasley pressed him to move forward with the sentencing despite him suggesting that he order a pre-sentence report or a not criminally responsible assessment.

He said Beasley has schizophrenia and indicated that he may also have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and autism.

Hildebrandt said that in Beasley’s formative years, he was “subjected to torment, abuse — physical and sexual in nature — from his parents.”

“Mr. Beasley was alone and struggled from these experiences, and they still colour his actions to this day,” Hildebrandt said.

Child and Family Services removed him from his home at three years old. He spent a short time under their care before moving in with his grandmother, who Hildebrandt described as a “beacon of caring support and love for him,” until she died in 2020.

He said the death affected him deeply, and he started using cannabis, which quickly escalated to harder drugs like methamphetamine, which he continues to deal with.

Beasley’s support worker, who came to court with him, told Hildebrandt that methamphetamines alters Beasley’s personality. Hildebrandt said his perception of reality warps and he is not himself.

“He states that at the time of the incidents, he was suffering from delusions that were directing him to commit offences under the threat of death. He believed that if he did not take the fire extinguisher and discharge it or break into the buildings, his life was at risk.”

Beasley has been participating in counselling, Hildebrandt said, adding that he believed a suspended sentence would be appropriate.

Sullivan recognized both Beasley’s personal circumstances and the seriousness of the offences. He ultimately decided a custodial sentence was necessary to include on Beasley’s record.

“I am really happy that you have support in the community and it looks like you’ve got feet under you,” the judge said. “It’s important to keep that up.”

» sanderson@brandonsun.com