Woman wants trial on charge of assaulting officer

A woman whose claim she was assaulted by a police officer has been dismissed by the police, is going to trial on a charge that it was she who assaulted an officer.

The lawyer representing Darlene Ann Castle of Scarborough, Ont. entered not guilty pleas on her client’s behalf to six of the seven charges against her when Castle’s matters were called in provincial court in Corner Brook Tuesday morning.

Defence counsel Sandi Mackinnon entered a guilty plea to the seventh charge, which was one of four breaches of court orders against Castle.

Besides the charge of assaulting a police officer and three breaches of court orders, Castle will also be tried on two charges of mischief when the case goes to trial Aug. 2223.

Castle, 40, was arrested Sept. 3, 2011 after the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in Corner Brook were called to a complaint of mischief outside a home in the city. She was charged with assaulting an officer and damaging a police car during her arrest.

Earlier in the evening, police had responded to a report of disorderly conduct outside a downtown business, but no charges were laid in relation to that incident, which had also involved Castle.

An man who said he saw the arresting officer kick Castle and call her a “slut” filed a complaint with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Public Complaints Commission.

That person told The Western Star in a recent interview that Cas-

An eyewitness who said he saw the arresting officer kick Castle and call her a ‘slut’ filed a complaint with the Royal Constabulary Newfoundland Public Complaints

Commission.

tle was ignored by the police when she tried to explain she had just found out her son had been murdered in Ontario and that she needed her medication.

Last month, the RNC said the officer’s conduct was still being investigated, but there would be no criminal charges filed against the arresting officer.

On Sept. 21, 2011, nearly three weeks after being charged, Castle was arrested again.

This time, she was charged with breaching two conditions of her release, namely the condition prohibiting her from possessing or consuming alcohol or being in a licenced establishment, and the condition to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

She was also charged with the second count of mischief, again for allegedly damaging a police patrol unit upon her arrest.

It was the alcohol-related breach to which Castle has pleaded guilty.

In late November 2011, Castle was arrested once again for allegedly breaching the same two conditions as before.