Struck with grill

Melanie Dawn Sheehan ignored stay-away order in assault

A woman who hit a man in the head with a George Foreman Grill after refusing to leave his apartment in Souris was sentenced recently to 60 days in jail.

Melanie Dawn Sheehan, 23, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Georgetown where she pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon and failing to comply with a recognizance.

The court heard that on April 3 the victim was home alone when Sheehan went to his apartment.

Both of them were under a court order to have no contact with each other.

The victim reported he had been ignoring Sheehan’s attempts to contact him and after the two got into a heated argument she wouldn’t leave. Crown attorney Cyndria Wedge said at one point the victim insulted Sheehan and she hit him in the face. Sheehan later hit him in the head with what she said in court was a George Foreman Grill.

The court heard that on her way out of the apartment Sheehan also punched the victim’s TV while she was holding a pair of scissors.

When the police arrived they found the apartment was in a mess and the victim had several injuries, including cuts and blood on the back of his head. They found Sheehan walking in Souris and she told them she couldn’t leave the apartment right away because she was gathering her things.

Sheehan told police the victim hit her with his forearm.

She also told them both parties hadn’t been following stayaway orders.

Before sentencing Sheehan, Orr told her if she goes to someone’s home and is asked to leave she has to leave.

“You have no right to stay,” Orr said.

Sheehan’s response was out of proportion to the situation, Orr said, and hitting the victim in the head with the grill was a very serious matter.

“It’s a wonder you didn’t kill him,” Orr said.

Along with the jail time, which Sheehan will serve intermittently, she will be on probation for 18 months and is banned from having contact with the victim or going within 500 metres of his residence. Sheehan must pay $638 in restitution and $200 in victim surcharges.