Man sentenced for attack with pipe wrench

A 24-year-old man scheduled to stand trial this week in Lethbridge provincial court for attacking another man with a pipe wrench has pleaded guilty, instead.

Elias Sebastian Brass pleaded guilty to one count each of assault causing bodily harm and breach of a recognizance, and was sentenced to six months in jail.

At about 10 p.m. April 29, 2016 Brass saw two men with whom he is acquainted walking to work. Brass stopped his car and got out, then began attacking one of the men with the pipe wrench, striking him numerous times in the head. The two men fought briefly before the altercation was broken up.

Brass returned to his vehicle and drove away, and a warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest. The other man was taken to the hospital where he received numerous staples to close wounds to his forehead and back of his head.

Court was told Brass was charged with breaching conditions of a previous release order stemming from a “domestic violence matter,” in which he was prohibited from possessing any weapons. He was sentenced to seven days on that charge, to run concurrently with the six-month sentence for assault.

Defence lawyer Vincent Guinan said he and the Crown were able to resolve the matter instead of going to trial following the death of a Crown witness. Brass had originally pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated assault, but it was replaced with assault causing bodily harm. A charge of assault with a weapon was withdrawn.

Guinan suggested Brass, who has only a few criminal convictions and none for violence, demonstrated remorse for his actions by offering a guilty plea. He said his client chose to deal with his charges and wants to stay out of trouble in the future.

In addition to the jail sentence, Brass will be on probation for 18 months following his release from custody. He was also ordered to stay away from the man he attacked, to take counselling as directed by his probation officer, and to provide a sample of his DNA for the National DNA Databank. He is also prohibited from possessing weapons.

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