A man accused of assaulting women joggers on the Long Pond trail in St. John’s made a brief appearance in provincial court Thursday morning.
Stephen Hopkins - who was once charged in connection with a fight that had started when he told a man to be more respectful of his girlfriend - was arrested Wednesday, according to the RNC, after they received a report about a man attempting to “inappropriately touch” women running on the trail around the pond, near Pippy Park.
Hopkins is charged with two counts of assault - against two different women - as well as breaching a court order to be of good behaviour, given to him by a judge last month.
Hopkins remained standing as Judge Lois Skanes read him his charges, and indicated he understood.
“It’s understood that these charges are related to two separate victims,” Hopkins told the judge, asking her to clarify the court process now that he has new charges as well as matters already before the court. Skanes advised Hopkins to speak with a lawyer.
Hopkins agreed to remain in custody for the time being, and will make his next court appearance Aug. 21 by video from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary.
Hopkins was acquitted of charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon after a trial in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in 2014. The judge said Hopkins had been acting in self-defence when he used the blade of a utility knife to stab a man who was beating him.
Hopkins said he had been walking on Frecker Drive in the Cowan Heights area of St. John’s in June of 2013 when he saw the man, whom he didn’t know, arguing with his girlfriend on the other side of the street. Hopkins intervened, telling the man to have more respect for the woman, and the man began beating him.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
Earlier story:
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) officers responded to a report Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. of a man trying to “inappropriately touch women that were running along the Long Pong trail in St. John’s,” according to an RNC report.
Police say they located the suspect, a 28-year-old man, and arrested him for assault and failing to comply with a court order.
He was held at the lock-up to appear in court Thursday morning.
