NANAIMO — Substance abuse treatment is planned following the latest of many trips to jail for a Nanaimo man well acquainted to police and the judicial system.
Leon Edward Sprlak, 43, received a time-served jail sentence on Friday, Dec. 16 and was released after pleading guilty to assault with a weapon charge in relation to an incident this past Aug. 25 in Nanaimo.
Charges of attempted murder, uttering threats and a weapons offence were dropped against Sprlak during his 20-minute provincial court hearing.
Prior to the judge accepting a joint sentence submission, The Crown’s Ken Paziuk revealed a disturbing series of events involving Sprlak and his girlfriend on August. 25, 2022.
Numerous reports stated Sprlak and the victim were arguing on Boundary Ave., when he poured a substance all over himself, later determined to be gasoline, and declared he was going to kill himself.
The victim reported gas was also poured on her and that Sprlak threatened to kill her as well.
She took off to Bowen Park where Sprlak approached her again, the victim reported.
“He then makes threats about killing them both, he produces what she describes as a butcher’s cleaver, she says it’s six to eight inches long, he’s standing over her, wouldn’t let her leave (and) pressed the knife against her at one point,” the Crown’s Ken Paziuk stated.
He said Sprlak then hacked a tree with the knife.
The offender appeared to be going through a mental health crisis at the time, Paziuk told the court.
Defence attorney Chris Churchill said his client’s primary focus was self harm and not hurting the victim.
He said Sprlak’s biggest barrier in his life is substance abuse and that his client wants to play an active role in his children’s lives.
Churchill said Sprlak is homeless and his mother is providing him a place to stay.
“They are discussing treatment options in Calgary and in Toronto and she’s prepared to support him in that,” Churchill said.
Sprlak was released from jail on Friday after serving the past 110 days behind bars.
He was also handed a year probation with numerous conditions, including a non-contact order with the victim and a weapons ban.
Sprlak has a long criminal record, with an extensive history of property crimes primarily in Nanaimo between 2001 and 2021.
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