A Bay of Islands man, in the midst of a bail hearing in provincial court in Corner Brook Thursday, had a change of heart.
The man, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban in place for some of the charges he’s facing, decided to consent to remand on his previous charges and plead guilty to the breach of a court order that landed him in jail Oct. 5.
His bail hearing before Judge Harold Porter was Wednesday afternoon.
At that time, the man’s mother had said she would act as a surety. However, by Thursday morning she had changed her mind. And it turned out her son had as well.
When the bail hearing resumed, with Porter linked to the Corner Brook courtroom by video from Grand Bank, lawyer Jamie Luscombe said the man was waiving his rights to the hearing and wished to plead guilty to the breach that stemmed from the man having contact with a woman he’s alleged to have assaulted on June 18.
They were a couple at the time of the incident and the relationship appears to have continued despite the court’s no contact order. On Oct. 5, the man and woman were seen shopping together at a Corner Brook grocery store.
He was sentenced to 45 days in jail on the breach, with time and half credit for six days spent in custody, bringing the sentence to 36 days. He was also ordered to pay a victim fine surcharge of $100.
The man will remain on remand until his other charges are called again on Nov. 28, unless he requests another bail hearing.
On that day, his trial, which started Sept. 15, on charges of sexual assault and sexual interference against a 10-year-old girl that occurred four years ago will resume.
The unrelated charges of assaulting his girlfriend in June will be brought forward on that day.
His additional charges from the June incident include assault, assault with a weapon, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and driving while disqualified.
