Canadian abuser gets light sentence for abusing "girlfriend"

Court sentence outrages women's groups - Man gets less than two years for multiple domestic assaults

JENNY MCCARTHY The Labradorian

A man who beat his girlfriend, left her with a broken jaw, cuts on her skull and face and half naked in a snow bank, receives less than two years in jail.

Last fall Neil Andrew broke his pregnant girlfriend's thumbs.He was arrested and released from custody. Only eight days later he was arrested again, this time it was for kicking his girlfriend in the head. He promised to keep his distance from the young woman and was once again released.A few months later Mr. Andrew left his girlfriend half naked in a snow bank with a broken jaw, and cuts on her skull and face.

Again Mr. Andrew was arrested but this time he was kept in prison. He was charged with aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, common assault and breach of probation.He pled guilty to all the charges.Under the Criminal Code of Canada the maximum sentence Mr. Andrew could serve is five years, but it's important to understand that maximum penalties are rarely imposed and are reserved for the most serious crimes and the worst offenders.

In a provincial court held in Sheshatshiu last week, Mr. Andrew received a sentence of 23-months in prison. Stephanie Flowers, project co-coordinator for the Women's Center in HV-GB said she attended many court hearings for domestic violence and she's disappointed with the sentence but she isn't surprised."It's getting worse. People have started to accept this behavior as if it were normal," she said.Ms. Flowers said with federal time (2 years +) Mr. Andrew would have had access to an immense number of good programs that could have helped him.

Sentences of less than two years are served in provincial or territorial jails. Sentences of two years or more are carried out in federal prisons under the jurisdiction of Correctional Service Canada.

Judge John Joy, the judge in Mr. Andrews case, called the sentence a harsh one and said he took into consideration Mr. Andrew's family history of alcoholism and his lack of a prior record in determining sentencing.

Petrina Beals, executive director of the Women's Center said it's frustrating because things don't seem to be getting better for women who are faced with abusive situations."Women should be able to trust the justice system to protect them. Right now that's not happening," she said.

The Coalition Against Violence responded immediately to the sentencing, saying the sentence sends a clear message that the victim's rights come second to the rights of the offender. They want full sentences for violent offenders, treatmen

t and counselling for abusers and a society where everyone can live with security and dignity.In 2005, the Mokami Status of Women's Council began a Purple Heart Campaign in response to what they perceived to be a light sentence given to a man in Labrador who had assaulted his girlfriend. The campaign calls on the Department of Justice and the Provincial Court to take steps in protecting women who are victims of domestic violence. The council wants to work with the justice system so each group understands the other.

A big part of the campaign is educating women about the court system. The campaign asks for such things as reduction in wait times for bail hearings, a translator for anyone who's first language is not English, and training for judges and crown prosecutors on family violence issues.Its hope, and that of many others, is to discourage domestic violence and make it something that's looked down upon, not simply accepted. Any woman who finds herself in an abusive relationship does have options. In HV-GB there is a women's shelter called Libra House. They can be contacted at 896-3014, or the women's center at 896-3484.