Cop who slapped teen gets conditional discharge

A Niagara police officer who slapped a teenager during a traffic stop was given a conditional discharge and placed on probation for a year.

Const. Ken Schonewille was charged with assault after the Oct. 9, 2017, incident in Lincoln. He was sentenced in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines Tuesday.

A conditional discharge means Schonewille has been found guilty but is considered not to have been convicted. After a year, it becomes an absolute discharge if he meets conditions of the court order, which include keeping the peace and maintaining good behaviour.

Court previously heard Schonewille stopped the teen for speeding and at some point struck him.

In a victim impact statement presented earlier in court, the teen said the incident left him “stunned and confused,” and unable to drive for three weeks. He also missed school and work as a result, he said.

Defence lawyer Harry Black, who questioned the victim’s statement, had asked the court for an absolute discharge for Schonewille, citing his exemplary police record and work in the community.

“He has keenly felt the embarrassment of this process,” Black told the court during an earlier appearance. “He has paid the price. I ask, rhetorically, how much do we punish?”

Court also heard that two days after being stopped by Schonewille, the teen was ticketed again for speeding. The boy and his mother lodged a complaint against the police, saying he was being targeted by the Niagara Regional Police. The complaint was deemed to be unfounded.