WINNIPEG (Staff) – Dave Sawatzky was in court again last week, but he wasn’t there to fight the Canadian Wheat Board as has been the case in the past.
The farmer from Gladstone, Man., pleaded guilty to unlawfully exposing a child under the age of 10 to danger. He appeared in Court of Queen’s Bench in Portage la Prairie, Man.
He was charged last February when a school bus driver saw his five-year-old son, David Jr., driving a truck near Roseisle, Man. The child was supposed to be following his father, who was driving some farm machinery.
Sawatzky was given a two-year conditional discharge, which includes two years unsupervised probation, and he is prohibited from letting any child under the age of 10 operate a motor vehicle.
Sawatzky is banned from operating motor vehicles on any highway from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31, 1997. He must also send a letter of apology to the bus driver who saw his son driving.
If Sawatzky meets the terms of his discharge, he will not have a criminal record.
Sawatzky was not available for comment.
