A former St. Albert resident was handed a one-year conditional sentence for assaulting a woman and preventing her from calling police.
Joshua Allen MacDougall, now a Grande Prairie resident, pleaded guilty in St. Albert Provincial Court Monday to assault causing bodily harm, mischief and two counts of breaching a recognizance.
St. Albert RCMP were called to a Grandin home on June 3, 2011 shortly before 4 a.m. after a woman called 911 and told the operator she was bleeding.
According to the agreed statement of facts submitted by Crown prosecutor Douglas Taylor and defence lawyer Gregory Properzi, the phone then went dead because MacDougall ripped the cord from the wall.
When police attended the scene, the victim was transported to the Sturgeon Community Hospital for treatment of her injuries. Medical reports show the victim suffered a four- to five-centimetre laceration on her lower back as well as a bruise to her right knee.
Earlier in the evening, MacDougall attended the residence in a drunken state and was eventually let into the home.
“MacDougall kicked (the woman) to the end of the bed, and then pushed her towards the head of the bed. (She) got into the fetal position and MacDougall began to strike her,” the agreed statement of facts reads.
He then pushed her off the bed, where she struck a glass surface and began to bleed. He fled the scene before police arrived.
When the victim returned from the hospital at roughly 6:30 a.m., MacDougall was once again in the home. The two began to argue and MacDougall told the victim it was her fault he assaulted her.
The agreed statement of facts says MacDougall broke one of her telephones to prevent her from contacting police, however, she was able to use her cellphone to call police.
MacDougall was arrested later that day and had the victim’s bank card in his possession.
MacDougall was bound by court-imposed restrictions at the time and was not allowed to attend the residence or have any contact with the victim. He was convicted earlier this year for assaulting the same woman.
When given the opportunity to speak, MacDougall told the court that he wanted to move in the right direction.
He is ordered to submit a DNA sample to police, abstain from drugs and alcohol and to remain in his residence except to go to work, medical appointments, treatment and counselling and up to three hours each week to shop for the necessities of life.
He is ordered to complete treatment as directed by a probation officer, particularly relating to anger management, domestic violence and alcohol.
