Drug and alcohol fueled brutal attack

Thomas Peter Argon found guilty of severely beating woman in hotel room

A judge has found Thomas Peter Argon guilty of endangering the life of his long-time partner in a drug and alcohol fueled brutal attack in a Charlottetown hotel room. Provincial Court Judge John Douglas ruled Wednesday he is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Argon severely beat Julie Lynn Gaudet on Dec. 23 at the Charlottetown Inn and Convention Centre on Grafton Street.

Argon will be sentenced Aug. 1.

Douglas told the court that evidence did not reveal exactly what transpired in the room, but he is convinced the pair engaged in a violent fight that left the hotel room completely trashed.

“Miss Gaudet got by far the worst of it,’’ he said. Gaudet was intubated and ventilated upon arrival at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown following the incident.

“She had lacerations under both eyes, several lacerations on her lips and bruising throughout her face.

The 37-year-old woman had a large hematoma on her scalp, a jagged tear to her left ear lobe and a piece of her right lower lip torn off.

She received plastic surgery to repair those injuries. Gaudet also had multiple facial fractures to her jaw and nose and what appeared to be a small foreign object embedded in the orbit of her left eye, according to a summary of medical evidence introduced during the trial.

Gaudet ultimately lost complete vision in her right eye. Gaudet spoke glowingly of Argon while testifying in court, describing the man as her fiancé of four years.

However, she also testified to assaulting Argon more than two years ago, stabbing the man in the chest with a knife.

Argon also testified during the trial to becoming confused and aggressive when mixing drugs and alcohol and on many occasions blacking out.

The pair, who had both just completed 30 days of detox, went to the hotel room planning to enjoy a good bender together. They consumed beer, vodka and valium pills.

Police were called to the hotel after staff witnessed Argon, covered in blood, being disruptive in the lobby. Argon had returned to his room when police arrived and refused to let them in the room.

Police testified that the hotel room was in total disarray when they busted down the door to find Gaudet lying face down on the floor “barely responsive.’’

Blood was splattered on a bed sheet, walls and in a large splotch on the outside of a bathtub.

There was also upturned furniture and a shattered toilet. Argon, the only other person in the room, was arrested.