Article content continued

Surveillance video from inside the courthouse shows Wilkie spraying something on the ground near the Kilborn Place entrance and throwing a lighted object, which burst into flames. Minutes later, there was an explosion that damaged the glass door and ceiling overhang, causing more than $6,000 in damage.

The next morning, police got another phone call from Wilkie threatening to “finish the courthouse today.” At 9 a.m., he walked into court, pleaded guilty to his impaired driving charges and got his jail sentence adjourned — meaning the explosion was for nothing.

“It was such a dumb thing that he did,” defence lawyer Mark Brayford said, adding it shows his client’s level of desperation.

Grindle said police were able to trace both phone calls to Wilkie in an investigation that both the Crown and defence commended.

The two-year jail sentence reflects how Wilkie misdirected police officers, targeted a public, democratic institution in Saskatoon’s downtown and endangered the public, even though no one was hurt, Grindle noted.

Brayford agreed a jail sentence is necessary to make a public statement, but noted that the act didn’t involve hate, terrorism or greed and was an attempt to get an adjournment, not to “thwart justice.”

In front of his family members who were in court, Wilkie apologized for the explosion and said he never intended to harm anybody.

Judge Brent Klause asked that in-patient addictions treatment be included in Wilkie’s sentence to address his issues with alcohol. He must also pay restitution for the damage he caused to the courthouse.

Klause’s parting words to Wilkie: “I hope we don’t see you here again.”

bmcadam@postmedia.com

twitter.com/breezybremc