Latest news with #intimatepartnerviolence
National Post
a day ago
- National Post
'Despicable' targeting of female pedestrian in Windsor, Ont. nets U.S. motorist 18-month sentence
Describing as 'despicable' what an American motorist did in downtown Windsor — intentionally targeting and running down a woman with his vehicle — a judge nevertheless couldn't side with the Crown's contention the crime deserved a long prison sentence. Article content The prosecution had sought a term of incarceration of up to eight years for the act of intimate partner violence, but Superior Court Justice Kelly Gorman told a sentencing hearing Wednesday that level of punishment was 'simply not supported by the case law.' Article content Article content Article content At an earlier court hearing, the defence had described the Crown's call for a four- to eight-year prison term 'grossly disproportionate' to the crime. Article content Article content After being given 847 days credit for 591 days spent in actual pre-sentence custody (based on a standard 1:1.5 formula used by the courts), the offender had effectively served his jail sentence. Article content The victim, a Belle River woman with whom the Philadelphia man had been communicating with online before visiting Canada for the first time, had been fighting at Devonshire Mall on their second date, on Dec. 23, 2023, over contents on her cellphone. Coulston-Hawkins later confessed to having choked her at the mall, an attack that was interrupted by a passerby. Article content Several hours after the choking incident and the woman had fled, she was walking away from her own vehicle in downtown Windsor when Coulston-Hawkins, who had been following her in his vehicle, accelerated and intentionally struck her while she was on foot. The force of the collision sent her flying, and the court heard she still suffers from 'substantial physical and emotional' trauma. Article content Article content Originally charged with seven criminal offences, including attempted murder, forcible confinement and aggravated assault, the young American pleaded guilty instead in May to lesser charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and assault. Article content Article content Coulston-Hawkins, now 24, had been in custody since his arrest the day of the attack. Article content An aggravating factor to the crime had been that he simply abandoned the seriously injured victim on the ground after striking her with his vehicle. Article content The judge also noted mitigating circumstances, including that he surrendered himself to police after attending the Windsor hospital where the woman was being treated. The 'most important factors in such cases as this one,' the judge said, was sending a message to the community of denunciation and deterrence. 'Other like-minded need to hear the message,' said Gorman. Article content The judge also sentenced Coulston-Hawkins to three years probation, during which he is prohibited from being in Canada. But any other conditions normally attached to probation orders can't apply here — they don't carry into foreign jurisdictions like the United States. Article content
CBC
28-07-2025
- CBC
Nova Scotia court program looks to counselling to stop domestic violence
At Halifax's domestic violence court, perpetrators accused of intimate partner violence receive counselling and therapy in an attempt to stop future violence and repair harm. Shaina Luck has the story.
CTV News
23-07-2025
- CTV News
Honduran man gets life with parole in brutal murder of common-law spouse
A Honduran immigrant received a life sentence in court on Tuesday in the brutal killing of his common-law spouse, Shermaine Carling. The incident took place on Sept. 29, 2022. 41-year-old David Espinoza Montes had already pled guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Carling, who was 33 years old at the time. Justice Joseph Perfetto considered a joint submission on sentencing and agreed to a period of parole ineligibility of 12 years, starting from the date of the offence. 'I'm happy for the family that there's finality in this matter and my thoughts and prayers go out to them,' said assistant Crown attorney, Nicole Stortini. Espinoza Montes, who has no prior record, sat quietly in the courtroom as Justice Perfetto shared the sentence in his over an hour-long hearing. The judge shared with the court how the brutal attack saw Espinoza Montes stab Carling 48 times with a knife and a pair of scissors in a friend's house. Justice Perfetto characterized the incident as an act of intimate partner violence after Espinoza Montes became jealous and acted in a fit of rage. 'His Honour gave incredibly detailed reasons,' said Jayme Lesperance, assistant Crown attorney. 'It was very thorough. It followed all the jurisprudence that (Stortini) argued in front of him.' Justice Perfetto noted he carefully considered the victim impact statements. 'Which in my view speaks to the devastation of Mr. Espinoza Montes' offending,' he said. He took into account the statement from Carling's sister, who wrote how simple tasks are hard to undertake and that both of Carling's children have withdrawn from school because of the emotional anguish. He read a passage from the statement as Espinoza Montes listened. 'Losing her is such a betrayal at the hands of someone who she trusted has shattered our sense of safety and left an ache that seems impossible to heal. No words can fully express how empty our hearts feel without her,' he said. The emotional loss is coupled with the financial loss as Carling sent money home to the Philippines to care for her two children and family. 'We have been talking to the family,' Stortini said. 'Victim Services has also been engaging with the family a lot as well. They want to move forward in this matter, and they are still grieving.' Justice Perfetto said Espinoza Montes had applied for refugee status after his work visa expired and, at the time of the offence, was subject to immigration hearings. He pointed out neither the Crown nor defence discussed immigration status in their joint submission. 'I've got no idea what's going to happen with immigration,' Lesperance said. 'That's entirely out of the scope of our work. What the parole group chooses to do based on their algorithm and assessment is entirely up to them.' Justice Perfetto closed the hearing by addressing Carling's family, who joined through Zoom, saying, 'I hope as time passes you find healing and peace.'
CBC
22-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
B.C. doctors studying brain injuries in survivors of intimate partner violence
Multiple recent cases of fatal intimate partner violence in B.C. have advocates like Dr. Cheryl Wellington calling on the province to declare the violence a public health crisis. The vice chair of research at UBC's department of pathology and laboratory medicine, Wellington is leading a team of researchers looking at the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries in survivors of intimate partner violence.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Advocates say intimate partner violence is a public health crisis in B.C.
Advocates like Angela Marie MacDougall are calling intimate partner violence a public health crisis in B.C.,Premier David Eby acknowledged gender-based violence an epidemic in financial mandate letter last January.
