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Accused in December 2020 Smithers home invasion to plead guilty

Eugene Tom is scheduled to appear in Smithers court June 13
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Smithers courthouse. (Trevor Hewitt photo)

One of the accused parties in a December 2020 home invasion in Smithers that left an elderly woman injured is expected to plead guilty in Smithers Provincial Court June 13.

During a court appearance June 7, Eugene Ryan Tom expressed the intention to plead guilty. He faces numerous charges including break and enter and assault with a weapon.

The B.C. Prosecution Service (BCPS) would not divulge to which charges Tom would be pleading or any details of a possible plea agreement, such as sentencing recommendations.

“The BCPS will not be discussing the intended resolution in advance of the court proceedings,” said Daniel McLaughlin, BCPS communications counsel.

The alleged attack took place at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 18, 2020.

When officers arrived at the home that morning they found the then-88-year-old woman in distress from being bear-sprayed in the face.

“The woman was coughing and suffering from mouth irritation as a result of the spray being used and taken to hospital for medical treatment,” a Dec. 21, 2020 press release stated.

Charges against a co-accused, Clinton Brown were dropped.

“The BCPS can confirm that charges against the co-accused Brown on the same file were stayed on May 31 when the Crown with conduct of the file concluded the charge assessment standard was no longer (met) with respect to that accused,” McLaughlin said.

READ MORE: Charges laid against two suspects in pre-Christmas home invasion



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Thom Barker

About the Author: Thom Barker

After graduating with a geology degree from Carleton University and taking a detour through the high tech business, Thom started his journalism career as a fact-checker for a magazine in Ottawa in 2002.
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