Vehicle chase, assault lead to jail time

A P.E.I. man who chased his victim with a vehicle and assaulted her in a stranger’s home was sentenced Wednesday to 15 months in jail.

James Calvin McFadden, 39, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to dangerous driving, assault and damaging property.

On a night in March, McFadden chased the victim and tried to stop her several times, including by ramming her vehicle and at one point turning his own car sideways to block the road.

Once, when the woman was stopped, McFadden reached through her vehicle’s window and slammed her head off the steering wheel.

She later sought help by going to a house in Morell where she saw a light on.

McFadden assaulted her again inside the house’s mudroom.

During his sentencing, the court heard McFadden had issues with alcohol and anger management.

Orr said McFadden’s actions were not a momentary lapse of judgment and they occurred over a period of about an hour or more. She also referred to a pre-sentence report that mentioned McFadden thought he could drink socially, but now knows he can’t.

Before hearing his sentence, McFadden rose from his seat at the defence table with his hands and feet shackled as he briefly addressed the court to say he was sorry for all the people he affected.

McFadden said he was going to take every step that he could to be a better man.

Along with the jail time, McFadden will be on probation for three years and is banned from driving for three years.

He must pay a total of $14,240.50 in restitution for damage to the victim’s vehicle, damage to the vehicle he was driving, which belonged to his mother, and damage to the home in Morell.

McFadden must also pay $500 in victim surcharges and write an apology letter to the victim. He will have to provide a DNA sample for the national databank and was given a weapons prohibition.