A man was sentenced in Swift Current Provincial Court yesterday to 18 months behind bars following an agreement between the Crown and defendant, who was representing himself.

Joseph Hack entered guilty pleas to a number of charges, admitting he was in a stolen vehicle with Nathan Mangaard in the early-morning hours in the industrial area of Swift Current on June 22, 2018 with illegal items.

In the car was a 10/22 rifle with a scope, silencer, loaded magazine, and sawed-off barrel, as well as drugs including meth, break-in instruments, and stolen license plates.

Hack had actually been charged in Moose Jaw on June 20, 2018 for being a passenger in a stolen F-350 (he was charged essentially with joyriding), and was on remand.

After 125 days of time served, with a time-and-a-half credit, Hack has just under a year left on his sentence.

At his sentencing yesterday he said he plans to keep using his time behind bars for reflection and dealing with his addiction problem.

The court ordered a firearms ban, a sample of DNA, and a ban on any drugs not prescribed to Hack by a doctor, as well as a no-contact order with Mangaard.

Hack represented himself. He initially pleaded not guilty to possession of meth and had a trial in Provincial Court scheduled for March 4, but he changed that to a guilty plea today. 

Hack also thanked Crown Prosecutor Curtis Wiebe for the conversations they had leading up to yesterday's sentencing.