A Richmond man has been sentenced to 13 months in jail, to be served in a treatment centre, and one-year probation after committing various offences while “in the throes of addiction.”
Joshua Lai-Sun Shu, 29, had pleaded guilty to six out of seven charges, which happened on three separate occasions from 2021 to 2022. Shu was charged with choking and hitting his then-partner on several occasions in 2021 and subsequently contacting her despite being released on a strict no-contact condition.
He was also charged for stealing a license plate, for which he was arrested. On the same day, after he was released from police custody, he broke into an impound lot to fetch his wallet from his impounded car.
The last set of charges happened in May 2022, when his neighbours called the police after hearing him yelling and causing a disturbance at a Richmond residence. According to the Crown, residents had gone out to the patio to observe the commotion, some were filming the incident. Upon police’s arrival, Shu became increasingly aggressive and confrontational. Police then tasered him, after attempting negotiation for an “extended period of time.”
Shu was placed in a police car, where he then kicked out a side window. He was also filmed uttering remarks to police that Richmond Provincial Court Judge Bonnie Craig described as “disgraceful” and “simply inexcusable.”
Denunciation, deterrence and rehabilitation are key: judge
Shu, who is currently enrolled in a two-year residential treatment program, appeared by video before Craig for his sentencing.
Chris Johnson, counsel for Shu, told the court that as a child Shu had raised himself “to some extent.” His parents had separated when he was young, and his mother also had addiction issues. Shu started abusing drugs while in his teens, and it was while “in the throes of addiction” to methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as fentanyl, that he committed the offences.
Johnson also explained that Shu has made several attempts to get himself sober to “some degrees of success” and that Shu seemed to be “doing very well at this point in time.”
Crown told the court that Shu had a “lengthy related” criminal record, which included seven previous convictions for violent offences. When Craig asked about the periods of time between Shu’s convictions, Johnson explained it was when Shu had gotten treatment and was employed before he relapsed.
In her decision, Craig said the key principles for Shu’s sentence are denunciation and deterrence for violence against intimate partners, as well as rehabilitation for Shu.
“Drug abuse and addiction is a very difficult disease to conquer,” she said, adding that while some people do relapse, it doesn’t mean Shu won’t conquer it “at some point” in his life.
“I have some hope for you, sir,” said Craig.
Shu was ultimately sentenced to 13 months in jail in a conditional sentence order, which means that he can serve his sentence while staying at the treatment facility. His conditions include no contact with his ex-partner and several other individuals, and no possessing weapons, knives or tools that can be used for criminal activity.
He will be under house arrest for the first six months of his sentence, followed by a curfew for the rest of the time. Shu will then be placed on probation for one year.
Craig also waived the requirement that Shu pay a victim fine surcharge as it would be an “undue hardship” and she wished for him to focus on his recovery.
