Case needs another look

Woman maintains she made up story of skipper now jailed for trying to throw her off fishing boat

The fishing boat captain convicted of trying to throw his spouse overboard while sailing through the Strait of Belle Isle has been sentenced to serve more than two years in prison, but the victim says the couple intend to appeal the decision.

Trent John White had initially been convicted of aggravated assault in November in relation to the incident aboard the boat in the summer of 2017.

Judge Wayne Gorman of the provincial court in Corner Brook also found him guilty of assault and damage to property, although the assault charge was stayed.

Earlier this month, Gorman allowed the trial at which he found White guilty to be reopened because the defence wanted the judge to hear additional evidence. That additional evidence consisted of the woman, who was not called to testify at the trial, recanting her story that White tried to throw her off the boat.

The woman said she had made up the story.

Gorman didn’t believe the woman, saying she was just trying to get her boyfriend’s conviction overturned, and he upheld the guilty verdict.

White was back in court in Corner Brook for sentencing Thursday. Gorman sentenced him to two years for the aggravated assault and two more months for the damage to property offence, which had involved White throwing the woman’s cellphone into the sea.

His sentence was reduced by 93 days after considering credit given for the time he has already served in custody prior to the sentencing.

The woman was in the courtroom for the sentencing. As she left, she told The Western Star that her version of the events was true and that the judge had gotten it all wrong. She indicated White intends to appeal Gorman’s decision to a higher court.