2012-02-29
_By Kristie Pearce_
A Windsor-area man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for vandalism at Toronto police headquarters during violent protests that greeted the G20 summit in 2010.
Jae Muzzin was one of 317 people charged with committing criminal offences during the gathering of world leaders.
Justice Melvyn Green of the Ontario court in Toronto, said Muzzin appeared to act of character when he broke a window or windows at the police building.
Noting Muzzin's expressions of remorse, his lack of a criminal record and a low probability that he will reoffend, Green ordered that the sentence be served on weekends, followed by a one-year term of probation.
The Crown had asked for a jail term or six to eight months.
"The offender has stable employment, family and community roots. His conduct on June 26, 2010, as characterized by many, was out of character," Green ruled. "He has disavowed violence as a means of advancing socially progressive goals."
Muzzin, who works out of his home as a freelance software engineer, surrendered to police in August 2010 and pleaded guilty to charges of mischief to property of a value in excess of $5,000 and common nuisance through endangerment of the lives and safety of the public.
Common nuisance is an indictable offence that has a maximum penalty of two years in jail.
Muzzin, who was 27 at the time, was among protesters who vandalized downtown Toronto during the summit. The peaceful protest quickly escalated when people began trashing and torching police cars. A large number of commercial enterprises were also vandalized.
Police video and photographic evidence showed Muzzin, wearing a bicycle helmet, shin pads and a bandana, hurling two hand-sized pieces of granite through one or more windows.
The windows fronted the Toronto Police Museum at police headquarters on the north side of College Avenue - almost a block west of Yonge Street.
Green gave Muzzin an intermittent sentence for the benefit of his three children who are entirely dependent on his income, he said.
The University of Windsor computer science graduate and his wife, Lindsay Logsdon, are expecting a fourth child late March or early April.
Both are committed to social justice issues and have participated in many demonstrations, Green said.
"He is a relatively youthful, pro-social and employed first offender who supports a young family and is genuinely contrite," Green said.
"He recognizes that his criminal misconduct was ill-conceived and counter-productive. He wishes to make amends and ... has already contributed a substantial number of hours to a local charity and has undertaken to continue this volunteerism."
In addition to the custodial sentence, Muzzin is to pay $2,500 in restitution to the Toronto Police Service and to complete 100 hours of community service with the Unemployed Help Centre in Windsor.
The damaged windows at police headquarters cost an estimated $10,000 to replace.
This includes damage caused by Muzzin and other protesters.