Guilty pleas lead to jail

Sentence imposed for assaulting, threatening police

A New Waterford man who spit food into the face of a police officer and threatened harm to the officer and his family was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to three offences.

Edward James O’Brien, 24, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and breaching a court order.

The offences occurred Nov. 2 at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

Prosecutor Shane Russell told the court O’Brien and his girlfriend were at the hospital’s emergency department after being involved in a car accident.

Witnesses, including police, reported O’Brien appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was making repeated demands to see his girlfriend.

Hospital staff and two Cape Breton Regional Police officers issued repeated warnings for O’Brien to calm down and denied his requests to see his girlfriend who was receiving emergency medical care.

Russell said O’Brien began threatening the officers and calling them names along with threatening to harm them and their families.

During one exchange with an officer, O’Brien spit food he was eating in an officer’s face.

“These officers are not public punching bags,” said Russell.

He noted that O’Brien has a lengthy criminal record including three convictions for assault, four each of uttering threats and resisting arrest along with 10 breaches of court orders.

Duty counsel lawyer Mike Kuna said O’Brien has no recollection of the events but was prepared to accept responsibility for his actions.

He told the court that even the mother of the accused described her son as being a nuisance to society when he under the influence of drugs and alcohol. She hopes that when he’s released from custody, he will move to live with her in Alberta.

O’Brien apologized for his actions.

Provincial court Judge David Ryan accepted the joint sentence recommendation of an additional four months behind bars followed by one-year probation.

“You have addiction issues that need to be addressed,” said Ryan.

While on probation, O’Brien is to refrain from alcohol and all drugs not prescribed to him by a physician along with taking all assessment counselling as recommended.