BOYLE – A local man who spat in the face of a police officer and assaulted a Boyle restaurateur received a 90-day jail sentence, with the judge calling his behaviour “unacceptable.”
In Boyle Court of Justice May 28, Bradley Auger, 54, pleaded guilty to unrelated counts of assaulting a peace officer and assault as part of a deal between Crown prosecutor Taylor Noble and defence counsel Yodit Kidane. Additional charges for resisting a peace officer, failing to comply with release conditions, and mischief obstruction were withdrawn as part of the plea.
“Spitting is always serious, demeaning and disgusting,” said Noble. “The gravity of the offence is quite high, it's serious to spit in someone’s face and it's serious to attack a person in their business when they’re just trying to work and make a living.”
The incident with the RCMP officer occurred on Oct. 23, 2023 after a Boyle RCMP officer responded to a disturbance. The caller said Auger was high and causing issues in their house. After initially resisting arrest, Auger was brought to the village detachment for booking, where he spat in the face of a constable.
On Oct. 5, 2023, Auger got into a dispute with the staff of the Peppertree Café in Boyle after he brought an open liquor bottle to his meal. After being asked to leave and despite an offer to pack his food up for him, Auger pulled a staff member down and hit him in the back of the head before being pushed out of the store.
“The thing about the police is that average citizens don’t have to come close to other people and interact with them, so they aren’t at as great a risk as the police are,” said Justice Robert Shaigec. “The police have to be physically face-to-face with people, that’s their job. Spitting in an officer’s face is disgusting, degrading, and potentially dangerous. You simply can’t do that.”
Trials and tribulations
Kidane said her client, a father of two, had some significant gaps in his criminal record which included entries for robbery and breaking and entering. She added that a brain injury he had sustained earlier in his life and an ongoing struggle with substance abuse played a role in his actions.
“He’s indicated to me that he has a great relationship with his probation officer, he’s actually still in contact with him,” said Kidane. “They had a conversation as recently as last week and they’re working on getting him into a rehab facility in Bonneville upon his release.
“That’s a positive outlook into the future for Mr. Auger.”
Auger had 117 days of pre-trial custody – he has been at the Edmonton Remand Centre since January – and will be left with 85 days of credit, which can be used for an upcoming June 11 matter if needed.
As part of his plea, Auger will serve a 15-month probation sentence that forbids him from returning to the café.
“If you go in there, they’re going to phone the police, you’re going to get arrested and you’re going to get taken to jail,” said Shaigec. “That doesn’t help anybody, and it certainly doesn’t help you.”
