A teen from the Eden Valley Reserve avoided jail time for attempting to rob a pair of the reserve’s teachers.

The boy, who cannot be named because of his young age, was sentenced to a year’s probation, ordered to undergo treatment for substance abuse and told to get back in school. He also must complete 50 hours of community service.

The teen pleaded guilty to robbery in relation to an incident on Oct. 8, 2008. A kindergarten and Grade 3 teacher were out walking a dog near the reserve west of Longview when a van sped past them from behind. It then turned around and sped towards them again. The driver came to a stop and a man and the teen jumped from the van, wielding pieces of rebar and demanded money from the women. The teachers were able to run away and their would-be-assailants drove off.

Judge Eugene Creighton said the boy did long-term damage to the women and the community, who lost at least one of the teachers who quit because of the incident.

“When people go out of their way to help the community it is people like this who chase them away,” Creighton said. “If they all leave who is going to teach the youth?”

The driver of the van, Lance Grant Daniels, received a five-month jail sentence and Nicholas Bearspaw received a one-year jail sentence for accosting the women.

Creighton said because this boy was a youth, rehabilitation had to be the focus of the sentence and jail-time must be a last resort.

However, Creighton said the series of events was hard to understand.

“I’m rather at a loss at how a young person is out getting drunk, hanging around with adults and terrorizing the community,” he said.

Creighton questioned how the boy’s future would continue to unfold with a Grade 9 education and no job history.

The boy said he was attempting to take upgrading at Bow Valley College and was not allowed to return to the reserve’s school, Chief Jacob Bearspaw, because of this incident.

Creighton admonished the boy to take schooling seriously and ordered him to work or attend school as part of his probation order.

He was also forbidden from drinking alcohol or taking drugs and attending any business where the main product is alcohol, such as a pub. Creighton ordered him to give a DNA sample and have no weapons in his possession for 10 years.

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