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CAMPBELLTON - Smashing the windshield and back window of a car he bought for his former girlfriend has cost a Lorne man about $700 and 12 months of probation.

Justin Joseph Carrier, 49, pleaded guilty earlier this year to mischief, uttering threats and to making harassing telephone calls to his former girlfriend on Sept. 9, 2007.

Crown Prosecutor Joanne Durette told the court that the victim had been watching television in her home when she saw lights in the driveway. She went to the window to see Carrier fleeing the scene with what appeared to be a long steel pipe. When she went outside, she noticed the windows had been broken.

Const. Pierre Laviolette of the Belledune RCMP responded to the scene and was there long enough to note that Carrier had called the woman three times. During one of those calls, Laviolette told Carrier that he was on the way over to speak to him.

When Laviolette arrived at the home of Carrier's father, with whom he was staying, he noted a strong smell of alcohol on Carrier's breath. He denied having been at the home of his former girlfriend or having called her, even though it was only minutes prior to Laviolette's arrival at Carrier's home that two had spoken while Laviolette was at the victim's house. Carrier said that he had been sleeping.

Durette told Judge Pierre Dube that Carrier had made many calls to the victim's home in the month or so prior to the window smashing rampage. Carrier had called the woman hundreds of times, with as many as 60 calls to her in one day.

Defence counsel Lucien LeBlanc told Dube that Carrier, who had been in a serious car accident about 20 years ago, was frustrated that he thought the victim had been taking financial advantage of him, but noted Carrier knew what he did was wrong and was remorseful and takes many medications for numerous illnesses, most of which the result of the near fatal on-the-job accident.

Carrier had bought the woman a car and gave her money to go to Moncton to visit family. When she returned she had with her a new boyfriend, which angered Carrier.

Dube said that two wrongs don't make a right in handing down Carrier's sentence. Besides the probation, which forbids him from drinking liquor, Carrier was given a 12-month suspended sentence, ordered to stay clear of the woman and must pay $684 in restitution.