THUNDER BAY – A southern Ontario man who assaulted several security guards and a bystander when trying to flee the Thunder Bay International Airport has been sentenced to house arrest.
Juirey Tyrek Walker-Hinds, 27, of Peterborough appeared via video before Justice Jennifer Hoshizaki on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to one count of assault and one count of possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Walker-Hinds was going through security at the Thunder Bay International Airport on the afternoon of January 3, 2023.
He was selected for secondary screening after security personnel suspected he was in possession of drugs. When security informed Walker-Hinds that the police were going to be called, he jumped over the counter, grabbed his bag and jacket, and fled the security area.
In the process of fleeing, a security guard was pushed to the ground. As Walker-Hinds continued to run through the waiting area, a second security guard was pushed into a wall.
Walker-Hinds then ran down the escalator and near the bottom he pushed a bystander into a railing. When running out the door, a third security guard was pushed into an automatic sliding door.
The bystander was sent to hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The damage to the sliding door was estimated to be approximately $500.
Police uncovered 1.9 grams of ecstasy in Walker-Hinds possession, as well as $38,997 in Canadian currency.
Defence counsel noted the guilty plea to the one count of assault was in reference to the bystander who was pushed, as he was not attempting to stop Walker-Hinds from fleeing the area the way that security personnel was, which could have presented triable issues.
Defence counsel also said the money in Walker-Hinds possession did not belong to him and that he was doing something to get paid to finance his life expenses and drug habit.
A joint submission of an 18-month conditional sentence was accepted by Hoshizaki, who acknowledged this was the first offence by Walker-Hinds.
Walker-Hinds will be subject to six months of house arrest and during the remaining 12 months he will be under a curfew.
A forfeiture order was also made for the seized funds and drugs. All other charges were marked withdrawn.
