Extra Foods syringe stabber sentenced

A British Columbia man convicted of aggravated assault for stabbing a grocery store security guard with a used syringe has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

In a decision posted online on Wednesday, a B.C. Supreme Court judge accepted the 31-month sentence suggested in a joint submission against 42-year-old Jonathan Fernandez.

The confrontation took place outside an Extra Foods in Kamloops, B.C., when Fernandez stuck a dirty needle in the hand of a security guard who had allegedly observed him shoplifting.

Court documents indicate that Fernandez is homeless and uses drugs—including heroine and crystal methamphetamine—and that he has tested positive for Hepatitis C.

Fernandez told the court during his sentencing hearing that he recognizes he has demons to face and that he is prepared to undergo intensive treatment.

The judge has ordered a one-year probation period to follow Fernandez's release.