Woman gets probation for assault at beach

A Halifax woman has been placed on probation for 18 months after pleading guilty to a charge of common assault from an altercation with another woman at a beach in the summer of 2019.

Lisa J. Cormier, 43, was scheduled to stand trial in Halifax provincial court recently on an allegation of sexual assault in connection with the incident but instead accepted responsibility for the lesser offence.

The court heard that Cormier and her ex-boyfriend were intoxicated when they got into a heated argument with a young woman at Chocolate Lake Beach in Halifax on July 16, 2019.

The dispute became physical, and part of the complainant’s bathing suit came off as she and Cormier tussled on the ground.

Crown attorney Tim Leatch said the victim was pleased that the case was able to be resolved without her having to testify. Although she didn’t submit an impact statement, she was shocked and frozen in place when she realized what had happened to her bathing suit, Leatch said, and “obviously was affected by this.”

Defence lawyer Luke Merrimen said his client took full responsibility for her behaviour.

“If she could go back and replay that day, she would certainly like to do so,” he said. “It was a situation that never should have escalated to that point.”

Cormier was a productive member of society until 2016, when her life spiralled out of control due to an alcohol addiction, Merrimen said. Since then, she’s had about 35 criminal convictions.

“The common thread through all of this offending is alcohol,” he said.

Merrimen said his client has moved on from a “toxic relationship” with the man who was with her at the beach that day. That relationship involved violence and alcohol abuse, he said.

Cormier is open to counselling, he said, and “would like to put this incident behind her and move forward in a positive direction.”

Judge Amy Sakalauskas accepted a joint recommendation from lawyers for the period of probation and ordered Cormier to provide a DNA sample for a national databank.

While on probation, Cormier cannot have any contact with the victim or be within 10 metres of her residence, workplace or school. She also must stay away from the Chocolate Lake recreation area and take part in counselling for substance abuse, anger management and any other issues identified by her probation officer.

“I wish you all the best,” the judge told Cormier. “I hope you can turn this around. I hope we don’t see each other again.”