UPDATE – All charges against Edward Neave have been stayed by the Crown Counsel.
PENTICTON — Jail time and a hefty fine for a Penticton man after pleading guilty to poaching a deer in the Naramata area.
It was a neighbour’s curiosity that brought the crime to light.
Penticton RCMP made a public appeal to locate the suspects and several tips came in.
It lead to the arrest of Jason Kevin Thurston.
The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to shooting the deer with a crossbow.
He fled when a neighbour spotted the crime in progress.
Thurston was prohibited from carrying weapons at the time.
He told the court he shot the deer to get food for a friend who had no income and did so after a few beers.
He regrets his actions.
Thurston was hunting out of season, after dark, and left the deer at the side of the road.
He was sentenced to 60 days jail, handed a $5,000 fine and is banned for life from possessing firearms.
Most of the fine will go to the Habitat Conservation Fund.
His co-accused, Edward Neave, has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial May 13th.