â–ş Listen Live
â–ş Listen Live

Man who assaulted Nakusp senior loses restitution appeal

A judge has rejected the appeal of a man who said he shouldn’t have to pay restitution in addition to serving jail time for assaulting a Nakusp senior.

In 2023, Csaba Beres was sentenced to six months in jail and placed on probation for 15 months for an assault that took place on March 24, 2022.

According to the court judgement, the victim hired Beres to install some car seats in a vehicle and they got into a dispute over payment. Beres then broke the victim’s windshield with his fist. The victim drove to the Nakusp RCMP detachment. Beres followed and hit him in the face, knocking him down. He then kicked the 72-year-old several times while he lay on the ground, and stomped on his cell phone.

At sentencing, a judge waived a victim surcharge because Beres was unable to pay, but the Crown sought restitution of $1,392 to cover the $300 deductible of the windshield replacement and cost of a new phone. The judge agreed.

Beres, however, appealed that part of the sentence, arguing the trial judge failed to consider jail time as a factor in whether to order restitution. He also argued the judge should have considered that the crime was not theft or breach of trust.

BC Supreme Court Justice Lindsay Lyster, however, ruled this month that it was reasonable to order restitution since Beres was given a year to pay following his jail time and the amount involved was modest.

She said the victim’s vulnerability was also a factor. The sentencing judge described the assault as an “explosion of aggression on a … senior citizen as he lay helpless on the ground by kicking him in the body and face repeatedly [that] amount to senseless and out of control vicious acts of violence.”

In an impact statement, the victim said that he was terrified by the incident and lost business data, work contacts, information, and pictures when his phone was damaged.

The judge concluded the restitution order was fit and dismissed the appeal.


Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyKootenayNow News Alerts.

Greg Nesteroff
Greg Nesteroff
Greg has been working in West Kootenay news media off and on since 1998. When he's not on the air, he's busy writing about local history. He has recently published a book about the man who founded the ghost town of Sandon.

Continue Reading

cjat Now playing play

ckqr Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Ribbon cut on Fruitvale’s Blizzard Mountain Place

Who was more excited at the ribbon cutting Friday for a new rental housing complex in Fruitvale: Kootenay Monashee MLA Steve Morissette or Lower Columbia Affordable Housing Society president Jan Morton?

Province rolls out updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines for fall

B.C. officials say it’s time to roll up your sleeves as we enter the fall virus season.  The post Province rolls out updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines for fall appeared first on AM 1150.

Castlegar man dies after lighting fire in alley

A 70-year-old Castlegar man has died after starting a fire behind a business in the 1700 block of Columbia Avenue.

B.C. attorney general welcomes proposed federal bail reforms targeting repeat violent offenders

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said proposed changes to Canada’s bail laws reflect the province’s push for tougher rules targeting repeat and violent offenders.  The post B.C. attorney general welcomes proposed federal bail reforms targeting repeat violent offenders appeared first on AM 1150.

Vote on 2nd Castlegar ice sheet expected in 2026

A referendum to decide whether Castlegar and area residents are willing to pay for a second ice surface and a walking track is likely a year away.
- Advertisement -