Violent alcoholic ordered to stop boozing during first six months of one-year probation

Failing to return to her halfway house to go on a five-day bender has landed a violent alcoholic the equivalent of a 4½-month jail term.

Colleen Dawn Piapot was also placed on probation for 12 months, with conditions including that she report to Calgary’s high-risk offender program and abstain from alcohol for the first half.

Crown prosecutor Gianna Argento had argued that the booze prohibition should have been for the full 12 months, as Piapot’s violent past is linked to her alcohol abuse.

But defence lawyer Matthew Dahl said any ban would potentially set up Piapot for failure in any addictions treatment programs she takes.

In the end, provincial court Judge Joanne Durant compromised, ordering Piapot’s abstention from drugs and alcohol for six months.

Argento said Piapot, 27, was serving a nearly five-year prison sentence for aggravated assault and other charges when she failed to return to a Calgary halfway house last Nov. 29, as part of her 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

She was arrested Dec. 4 at an Edmonton residence when she voluntarily turned herself in.

“She … admitted she was partying for five days,” Argento told Durant.

The prosecutor said because Piapot’s violent past was linked to alcohol consumption, she wanted an intoxicants prohibition, random screening and warrantless searches for the duration of Piapot’s probation.

“Because she is a high-risk offender, the Crown is seeking a more intensive order,” Argento said.

But Dahl argued against any restriction, noting addicts can relapse even during successful treatment, which would be cut off if Piapot had to return to jail for a breach.

He noted when Piapot fell off the wagon during her breach, she showed no tendency toward violence.

“When she was unlawfully at large, she was consuming intoxicating substances and there was no indication of violent behaviour,” he said.

Dahl told court his client had a tragic upbringing, which included seeing her father murdered when she was six years old and being sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend when she was 10.

Piapot was sentenced in February 2015 to four years in prison for viciously attacking a Saskatchewan social worker with a large chef’s knife.

While serving that sentence, she had another 10½ months added to her term on other charges, which ended in December.

Argento said Piapot served 91 days on her unlawfully at large charge once her federal sentence expired — the equivalent of 136 days in jail.

Durant agreed this was sufficient custody, meaning Piapot did not have to serve any further time.