Corner Brook -
A Benoit's Cove man with a lengthy criminal record and a history of assault pleaded not guilty Monday in Supreme Court in Corner Brook to five assault charges against him.
Michael Jerome Hynes, who has had 14 separate convictions since the age of 18, was led into court in Corner Brook in shackles.
He was charged with assault causing bodily harm to a female in Benoit's Cove between June 1-12 and also assault with a weapon - a steel-toe boot - during that same period.
He was also charged with assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault to the same female on April 22.
Hynes' most recent charge, assault causing bodily harm to the same woman, was alleged to have occurred July 3.
His lengthy criminal record began in 1983 with a theft and continued almost annually with convictions for causing disturbances, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and incidents of impaired driving. His first assault conviction came in 1991 and was followed by four others over the next decade.
A pre-trial conference is set for Nov. 19 and he's due in Supreme Court again Dec. 7.
