A disturbance at a family home in Humber Village in December 2017 resulted in one man being sentenced to a 30-day conditional sentence in provincial court in Corner Brook on Wednesday.
Trevor Tom Benoit, 42, was charged with uttering a threat to cause bodily harm to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and cause bodily harm to officers of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.
The incident started just after 10 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2017 when the RCMP responded after two calls were received from the house that made mention of an assault and there being guns in the residence.
When police arrived, the whole family chased them outside and were aggressive with them. At some point Benoit threated to find one of the officers and beat him.
Benoit was not arrested at the time.
At 1:30 a.m. he called the RNC in Corner Brook looking for his son, who had been arrested by the RCMP.
When he was told the RNC had not dealt with his son, Benoit became upset and wanted the phone number for the RCMP.
He then made references to who would protect them if he went downtown and started shooting and to being armed and ready.
The RCMP was advised of the call and returned to Humber Village to arrest Benoit.
Crown attorney, Lori St. Croix, suggested a jail sentence of 30-60 days, followed by 18 months of probation.
She noted Benoit has a record of convictions from Nova Scotia that involved threatening officers and other violent offences.
Benoit’s lawyer, Shelley Senior, said the charges resulted because of someone being drunk and argumentative with police.
She said Benoit’s actions were stupid, but there is no indication he intended to carry out the threats.
She argued that it was not in anybody’s best interest, his family or the public, for Benoit to be put in jail.
She said if custody was necessary that he should be allowed to serve it on a conditional basis as Benoit is about to return to work and is a productive citizen who takes care of his family. There was no mention of his current address.
She said he recognizes he has an alcohol problem and is prepared to get help.
After taking time to consider an appropriate sentence, Judge Catherine Allen-Westby sentenced him to the 30-day conditional sentence, 15 days for each charge to be served consecutively.
She also imposed an 18-month probation order, a DNA order and a 10-year firearms prohibition. Both the conditional sentence and probation order contain a condition that Benoit attend any awareness, education or counselling programs recommended by his supervisor, in particular those related to alcohol, drug or substance abuse or addiction.