At the age of 44, Christopher Blair now has a criminal record and a taste of what it's like to be behind bars.
The Sault Ste. Marie man spent a good portion of 2023 racking up charges that landed him in court last week, where he pleaded guilty to 14 offences.
Two of the counts involved thefts from local businesses, while another was for driving while suspended.
The remainder were for repeatedly ignoring court orders and not showing up on court dates.
Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn heard the accused walked out of Rexall Pharmacy on Trunk Road at 10:33 a.m. on May 13 without paying for some merchandise.
The security alarm went off and his crime was captured on video, prosecutor Robert Skeggs said.
He made off with a Dr. Ho pain therapy system, valued at $179, and other items.
On June 4, Blair was behind the wheel of a pickup that ended up on the front lawn of a Black Road residence on June 4.
Officers spoke to the driver, who had visible injuries.
"He was a suspended driver for unpaid fines," the assistant Crown attorney told the court. "It was not his vehicle. It belonged to someone else."
On Aug. 14, police were called to Canadian Tire where security had a man in custody for shoplifting.
Blair had attempted to leave the store with $154 worth of items in a box.
The judge heard the accused repeatedly ignored orders that prohibited him from having contact with a woman and a number of other people.
On June 13, when he was bound by four separate undertakings to stay away from her, police stopped a vehicle at 11:30 p.m.
The woman was behind the wheel and Blair was a passenger.
A similar incident occurred on Sept. 23.
Sprinkled between these interactions were days where he failed to show up at court.
On Feb. 25 of this year, he was found at the woman's address.
Blair had 21 pending charges when he was released on bail on March 18, Skeggs said.
The judge heard the accused had no prior criminal record.
Noting Blair was dealing with a number of files, the lawyers proposed a five-month sentence of house arrest, followed by one year probation.
Skeggs pointed out that Blair was making his court appearance from the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, and hopefully he accepts the gravity of his situation.
Defence lawyer SarahTucci said her client has spent 50 days in custody.
He has been struggling with a cocaine addiction since he was 15 and went to rehab in 2015, she told Dunn.
Blair is aware that if he breaches, he ends up back in custody and "has faith he can stay on track" during the sentence.
"Custody has been a deterrent," Tucci said. "He's been sober since he first went into custody."
When she imposed the sentence, Dunn noted Blair is a first-time offender who pleaded to several offences.
He has struggled with addiction since he was a young teen and has addressed that since he first stepped into custody.
During his five-month conditional sentence, Blair will be under house arrest and can only leave his property for employment, medical emergencies and counselling.
He is permitted to be out on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to obtain the necessities of life.
When Blair completes the sentence, he will be on probation for 12 months with conditions that include no contact with the woman and four other people.
As well, he must stay away from Canadian Tire and the Rexall on Trunk Road, and can't possess any weapons.