The man awaiting trial for the 2014 was sentenced Wednesday to nine months in prison for unrelated charges.

Stephen Pirko pleaded guilty to two counts of break and enter and another charge of possession of stolen property.

鈥淚鈥檓 sorry for my actions,鈥� Pirko told the court via the video feed from the Okanagan Correction Centre, where he鈥檚 been held since his November 2016 arrest.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have done these things if I wasn鈥檛 addicted to heroin 鈥� I鈥檓 trying to make the best of a crappy situation.鈥�

The 鈥渂est鈥� explained his lawyer means taking advantage of the detox and addiction programs available in prison. Pirko鈥檚 been sober for seven months.

Before that, however, he was in the the throes of his addiction. Pirko, said his lawyer, lived with his mother at the time of break-ins. She has 鈥渟ignificant health issues鈥� and supports herself through government disability subsidies. He has never had a relationship with his father and has a Grade 11 education.

鈥淭he most serious issue for him is he鈥檚 a heroin addict,鈥� said his lawyer.

Crown and defence agreed that a nine-month sentence in this case would be appropriate. No probation was suggested as neither anticipated he鈥檇 鈥渂e getting out of custody soon.鈥�

Judge Vincent Hogan agreed to the sentence鈥攗ltimately handing down three nine-month sentences to be served concurrently鈥� but kicked in some sharp words aimed at getting Pirko to shape up.

鈥淭here鈥檚 this bizarre idea floating around in the public that judges are not victims of crime and they take an ivory tower approach to crime,鈥� he said.

That, he said, is not the case. He鈥檚 had his house and motorhome looted, and every one of his children鈥檚 bikes stolen at some point.

鈥淚, like other people, get sentimentally attached to my property so I understand what people go through when they get looted,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 say I hope it鈥檚 a nice young man who鈥檚 a heroin addict that does it.鈥�

On the contrary, he said, victims of crime want to form a 14th Century mob and deal with the crook in the least civilized means available 鈥� but the law stops them from doing so.

鈥淚 want you to find a half decent way to find a good life 鈥�. Please, son, you鈥檙e 24 years old. Turn this mess around because we want you to do well.鈥�

Pirko will be in court for a on the charge of second degree murder in January 2018.

Chris Ausman鈥檚 body was in the 100 block of Highway 33 Jan. 25, 2014.

Ausman, who worked at Ace Plumbing and Heating, was known to friends as an all-round decent guy.

On the night of his death he had reportedly been playing poker with friends. It was surmised he鈥檇 likely been at the Rutland 7-11 and ran into someone with ill intent. The case had seemingly run cold, until November 2016 when Pirko was arrested and charged.