Man awaits sentencing for assaults, other charges

Taylor Robert Murphy said he moved to P.E.I. to get away from gang life.

He was recently in court for offences that included assaulting one police officer and threatening to kill another, punching a stranger on the street and breaking an inmate’s jaw after hitting him with a chair.

Murphy, 24, appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown for sentencing for forcible entry, assaulting a police officer, assault, assault causing bodily harm and threatening a police officer.

He was also charged with two thefts from a liquor store and damaging property after he kicked in a post office window.

The court heard Murphy was one of three people who forced their way into a residence where a man the Crown described as mentally disabled lived.

Someone assaulted the victim while they were there and he lost four teeth.

Murphy took responsibility for the forced entry, but not the assault.

That same day, Charlottetown police responded to a call about someone kicking in a window at the post office on Queen Street.

They found Murphy, who had blood from a cut on his leg pooling on the ground.

Murphy kicked one of the officers and after going to the hospital he started spitting.

As a second officer tried to put a mask on him, Murphy made multiple threats, including that he would kill her, find her children and burn her house down.

Before his arrest, Murphy also punched a stranger who was walking by him with a group of people.

While he was in custody, Murphy threw a chair at another inmate who was in a common room watching TV.

That blow knocked the inmate unconscious and Murphy proceeded to punch him in the head several times before a third inmate pulled Murphy away.

The assault left the victim with a broken jaw and eight stitches in his head.

Crown attorney Lisa Goulden said when Murphy was arrested he had an outstanding warrant from Winnipeg for an alleged armed robbery.

Murphy denied committing the robbery and said in court he was in British Columbia at the time.

After the Crown and defence made their submissions, Murphy addressed the court to say he had no recollection of what happened the day he kicked the window.

He woke up with stitches and covered in blood, Murphy said.

“I was heavily intoxicated.” The court heard Murphy was involved in a gang while living in Winnipeg and he said he moved to P.E.I. to get away from that life.

Murphy also said he felt sorry for threatening and assaulting the police officers.

“That’s not me. I’m not like that.”

Douglas adjourned the matter until Feb. 28 to see if there was more information about Murphy from Winnipeg.