A 27-year-old man will spend the next four months in jail for assaulting a woman in her home in October, after a Corner Brook judge rejected the Crown and defence recommendation of a suspended sentence
In a written decision, released after Ryan Richard Brown’s sentencing hearing on Friday, Judge Wayne Gorman said he thought a suspended sentence and probation was unduly lenient considering the extent of violence inflicted upon the woman.
The judge said while both the Crown and Brown had suggested a suspended sentence, it was not a joint submission. When he advised them during an earlier appearance of his thoughts on the matter, neither side made further submissions.
Brown, 27, was at the woman’s Deer Lake home Oct. 6. The woman told him he could sleep on her sofa, but Brown, who had been drinking that day, got upset, went into her bedroom and was yelling.
He grabbed the woman by the throat and placed her in a choke-hold. He then threw her to the floor and while she was on her back, got on top of her. The woman was able to get away and told Brown to leave.
She suffered a swollen neck and bruising, and had a bad back for days.
Brown pled guilty to the assault.
After considering the case Gorman said he concluded that an appropriate sentence was a period of four months, followed by 12 months of probation. He said his conclusion was based on the nature of the offence and the seriousness of the assault committed on the woman.
Gorman said the period of probation is designed to protect the woman from Brown and to facilitate his rehabilitation.
He also imposed a two-year weapons/ammunition prohibition on Brown.
