Young woman admits to smashing downtown windows with a cinder block

A young woman admitted last week that she smashed the new windows of a downtown residence that was undergoing renovations. Jodie Neveau pleaded guilty to mischief, as well as break and enter to commit an indictable offence, in connection with the Dec. 17 incident.

The 25-year-old also was convicted of theft for stealing $101 worth of items — stashed in a suitcase — from the Churchill Plaza Metro supermarket earlier this month.

Neveau, who has spent the equivalent of 21 days in pre-sentence custody, faces a further three months and nine days behind bars.

Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn imposed the jail term Friday after Neveau pleaded to six counts that also included three offences of violating court orders.

The court heard new windows had just been installed at a vacant residence at Albert and Hughes streets when city police were notified about an incident there.

Neveau used an empty paint can and a cinder block to break the windows.

When city police officers arrived at the scene, she was inside throwing ice and her right hand was bleeding, prosecutor Karen Pritchard said.

The accused, who was released on bail, failed to report to a bail supervision program.

On Feb. 9, police received a report of a shoplifter at the east-end supermarket.

Pritchard said security asked the woman, who walked into the store with a suitcase, to leave it outside.

She refused, went inside and started filling it with various items.

Defence counsel Ken Walker told the court substance abuse issues were at play here.

Pritchard said Neveau has a related criminal record for break and enter, thefts and breaches.

Dunn agreed with the Crown that the sentence, which was jointly recommended by the lawyers, was low given the woman's prior break and enter conviction.

But the guilty pleas were entered "very quickly" and the judge said she would go along with the joint submission.

Neveau also was placed on probation for 12 months with conditions that she stay away from the Metro store and the Albert Street East house.

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