Lethbridge man sentenced for multiple vehicle thefts, running from police

On the two occasions that Martens fled police – once in Lethbridge and another time outside the city – he refused to stop, forcing officers to call off the pursuits for public safety. It was noted that the pursuit in Lethbridge ended when Martens accelerated over 100 km/h inside the city.

“Persons in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to these types of offences,” said Hartigan, discussing the trucks stolen outside of Lethbridge. He added that the victims in those cases often use their vehicles for work, are sometimes stranded on their property without a vehicle, and must wait longer for police assistance.

In presenting a joint sentencing recommendation from the Crown and defence – which the judge later agreed to – Hartigan acknowledged that Martens was very cooperative with police and provided a full confession. He also noted that Martens suffers from serious fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

“It’s a difficult and sad situation that he finds himself in,” said Martens’ lawyer, Claudia Connolly. “We’re hopeful that he’ll get some of the assistance that he needs [while in custody].”

Martens was given credit for 105 days of pre-trial custody, leaving just under a thousand days left on his sentence. Once he has completed his time in prison, Martens will be prohibited from driving for two years.

by Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Lethbridge man sentenced for multiple vehicle thefts, running from police

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