Assault: a police officer guilty wants to take over the patrol

File Photo martin alarie
Guillaume St-Louis

Geneviève Quessy

Monday, 26 march, 2018 16:50

UPDATE
Monday, 26 march, 2018 16:50

Look at this article

JOLIETTE | A police officer in Lanoraie guilty of assault causing bodily harm wants to be able to return to his post.

On December 9, 2014, the agent Guillaume St-Louis intercepted by Alexandre Hébert for his glass car too tinted, near the nursery in Lanoraie, where he would renew his daughter of 11 months. Seeing that the citizen did not have his papers on him, the police officer asked him to exit his vehicle and remove his sunglasses.

Alexandre Hébert refused to comply. The police officer then sprayed pepper spray, then struck in the legs and in the head with his stick telescopic for the purpose of the master.

Accused of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and careless use of a weapon, the officer Guillaume St-Louis, 36, of the Sureté du Québec, of Lavaltrie, has been suspended from his duties.

On 8 December last year, judge Carol Richer found that the accused used excessive force and that it has not acted reasonably in the circumstances. He was found guilty of see of having caused damage.

Conditional discharge

On the side of the Crown, to Me, André-Anne Marion calls for a sentence suspended, two years probation and 200 hours of community service work, while Nadine Touma, for the defence, calls for the conditional discharge.

If the judge approves the proposal of the defence, the accused could resume his duties of a police officer, even if he was found guilty.

According to the lawyer, the fact that the case has been widely publicized would be sufficient to ensure the goal of raising awareness among the public and police officers. “The message is passed that the use of force is not desired.”

The victim Alexandre Hébert, age 32, has again repeated to the court yesterday the many sequels that have left the event.

“My hand doesn’t work 100%, I have a hard time walking because of my bad knees, I have headaches frequent”, he said. According to the complainant, his entourage would have suffered a lot of stress because of the procedures.

Already off work for depression at the time of the events, his condition has worsened and it has never worked again since. It is now considering a career change, because he thinks not being able to practice his trade of sheet metal worker.

The judge Caro Richer thought of being able to make the award quickly, but it is ravisé to take the case under advisement until may 16.