Public Prosecution Service Appoints Youth Court Crown Attorneys

Crown attorneys dedicated solely to youth court matters have been appointed in Halifax and Sydney in accordance with a recommendation by the Nunn Commission of Inquiry.

The Nunn Commission recommended the Public Prosecution Service consider appointing additional Crown attorneys for youth matters where numbers warrant and the government later provided the Public Prosecution Services with $300,000 in additional funding to do so.

The Public Prosecution Service has now added a third Crown attorney to the already established team of two dealing with youth court matters in Halifax and has created a youth court Crown attorney position in Sydney. Needs and case numbers in other parts of the province will continue to be monitored.

"Dedicated Crown attorneys for youth court are essential for dealing with these cases in an expeditious manner that is best for both youth and the public," said Adrian Reid, deputy director of public prosecutions. "The specialization these Crown attorneys develop makes them a valuable resource for prosecutors in those parts of the province where there are no dedicated youth court Crown attorneys."

In Sydney, Stephen Drake has been appointed as youth court Crown attorney. An industrial electrician for almost 20 years before switching careers, Mr. Drake received his undergraduate degree at the University College of Cape Breton and graduated with his law degree from the University of New Brunswick in 2004. After articling with a private law firm, he became an associate there before his appointment as a term Crown attorney in the Public Prosecution Services's Sydney office in 2006. Since then, he has prosecuted both adult and youth criminal charges.

In Halifax, John Nisbet has been appointed as youth court Crown attorney. Mr. Nisbet graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1989 and articled with a Halifax law firm. He was in general practice for several years and worked as a per diem Crown attorney during that time. In 1997, Mr. Nisbet was appointed a Crown attorney in the Public Prosecution Service's Truro office where he prosecuted both adult and youth criminal charges. He remained with the Truro office until his appointment to the Halifax office as a youth court prosecutor.

Also in Halifax, Terry Nickerson, a term Crown attorney assigned to youth court since 2005, has been appointed on a permanent basis. Mr. Nickerson received his undergraduate degree from Dalhousie University and graduated from Dalhousie law school in 1998. He articled with a private law firm in Yarmouth and later worked for a Dartmouth law firm where he practiced criminal law. In addition to criminal defence work, he accepted assignments as a per diem Crown attorney. He was appointed a term Crown attorney in Halifax youth court in November 2005.

Mr. Nickerson and Mr. Nisbet, together with veteran Crown attorney Gary Holt, comprise the Halifax youth court prosecutorial team.