SASKATCHEWAN – The Parole Board of Canada has revoked a man’s statutory release after he was wanted by police for cutting off his ankle monitor.
Julius Austin Ballantyne, 29, was serving a four-year 10-month federal prison sentence for break and enter and robbery. Ballantyne’s original sentence was for six years but he was given pre-trial custody credit. He was also given a 25-year weapons prohibition.
According to parole documents obtained by SASKTODAY Ballantyne and his co-accused concealed their identities and went to a victim’s home where they pushed him to the ground, hit him with a shovel and a hockey stick and threatened further violence and death. They fled when police arrived. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment.
Ballantyne was released on statutory release in June 2021. Within three weeks of Ballantyne’s statutory release a warrant was issued for his arrest after his whereabouts was unknown. His release was revoked and he was released again on Aug. 8.
A warrant and suspension of his parole were issued on Oct. 5 when an alert for his electronic monitoring went off saying that he had left his residence. Deschambault Lake RCMP found the device the next day in a wooded area. He was arrested on Oct. 10.
The Parole Board considered Ballantyne’s Gladue Factors, in particular, the intergenerational trauma from family experience with residential schools, and loss of Indigenous culture. He lived in an abusive environment with his mother and step-father and experienced instability, poverty, substance abuse, and violence. Ballantyne often had to care for his younger siblings when his mother and step-father would go drinking and not return home until the early morning. He lacked parental supervision and guidance as a child. He witnessed and was subjected to physical and emotional abuse as a child. His step-father abused his mother and then would abuse him and his siblings. This continued for years.
Ballantyne started drugs at the age of nine and drinking at age 11 and these behaviours were normalized in his home.
Ballantyne isn’t identified as a member or associate of a street gang.
Ballantyne’s next statutory release date is pending and the parole board has recommended special conditions on that release.
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