After hearing from two witnesses, the trial of Megan Courtney Beaton, 33, of Westville and Jeffery Curt John Holley, 35, of Stellarton ended with the Crown stating in light of the evidence provided during the trial so far, it would be staying the charges against the two accused.
Beaton and Holley were charged April 4, 2014, with break-and-enter in a dwelling and being without lawful excuse to carry a firearm, as well as possession of a weapon.
On Tuesday, the Crown called two witnesses to the stand, both of whom lived in separate residences in Springville, who stated they were woken in the middle of the night by people looking for someone they didn’t know.
The first witness said two women stood outside his home and asked him if a certain person lived in his home. As they were about to leave, a man with a rifle came out of dark and left in the car with them.
This witness said he heard their car turn into a neighbouring driveway and about five minutes later while he was on the phone to 911, he heard gunshots fired.
Police arrived a short time later at the neighbouring residence where a second witness testified that he was also woken in the middle of the night by a banging on his door. He said he yelled for whoever was at the door to come inside and a man and a woman walked into the mobile home.
This man also said he didn’t recognize the name of the person they were looking for and he told them to have a look around his place, if they didn't believe him. He said the woman searched the residence while the man stayed in his living room with a rifle in hand.
Once the woman’s search turned up empty, they said they were sorry to bother him and left the home. On the way out, the witness said he heard gunshots and saw the man and women get in a car and drive away.
Holley will return to court Wednesday for sentencing on two weapons charges in relation to this incident. He entered guilty pleas to unlawful use of a firearm in a careless manner and possession of a shotgun without being the holder of a licence during an earlier court appearance.
Beaton will return to Pictou Provincial Court in March 2015, for a trial after pleading not guilty to three breaches of a court order.
