Benton man remanded to await trial
Edward Hayes, Jr., 30, of Benton, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 27 and pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges laid by Woodstock Police and RCMP. His three-day trial was set for next March.
Hayes was denied bail on Nov. 6. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday to dangerous driving, flight from police, driving while prohibited, uttering threats, and breach of a release order (ankle bracelet) on July 25 in Woodstock; two counts of breach of a release order, flight from police, driving while prohibited, possession of a stolen ATV, two counts of assaulting police, mischief causing damage to a police vehicle in Benton; flight from police and dangerous driving on July 25 at Teeds Mill; and criminal harassment through text messages on June 22 at Bairdsville.
He also pleaded not guilty to obstructing police following an incident on Aug. 15 near Meductic when a male suspect jumped into the Eel River and was captured and taken into custody.
Hayes also pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon (a knife), uttering threats and theft of a motor vehicle on Aug. 14 in Benton and theft of gas on Aug. 14 in Debec.
Trial dates were set for March 9 and March 11-13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. A pre-trial conference was also booked for Jan. 14, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Hayes has a lengthy prior criminal record.
On July 25, police were patrolling in the Benton area when they encountered a male riding an ATV without a helmet. The driver was identified as Hayes, who was subject to several conditions, including a prohibition against driving and the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle, which he allegedly cut off.
Police reported that Hayes rammed a police vehicle with his ATV when officers tried to stop him and then fled the scene. A short time later, police observed Hayes driving his ATV through the parking lot of the RCMP detachment in Woodstock and across the front lawn at the Woodstock Courthouse. Both properties sustained minor damage.
90 days of house arrest, probation
Kyle Glen Anderson, 40, of Hartland, was handed 90 days of house arrest and 12 months of probation when he appeared for sentencing in provincial court on Nov. 26.
Anderson pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, committing mischief, causing property damage to a vehicle, and two counts of uttering threats in connection with an incident on July 4, 2023, at Ashland. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond in relation to an assault charge.
Judge Henrik Tonning ordered Anderson to pay $500 restitution for damage to the vehicle. He must also seek counselling for addiction and anger management. Anderson will be able to attend work during his house arrest.
The court heard details of a road-rage incident that escalated into a domestic dispute at a residence in Ashland. Anderson had a limited prior criminal record.
Sentencing for possession of child pornography
Corey Dean Bartlett, 56, of Perth-Andover, will appear for sentencing in provincial court in custody on Jan. 21, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. after changing his plea to guilty on a charge of possession of child pornography.
Bartlett was charged by the RCMP in connection with an incident on Feb. 7, 2017, at Tobique Narrows. His sentencing was first set for Dec. 16 but was adjourned on Thursday to the new date with the consent of both the Crown and defence counsel.
Sentencing on multiple charges
Loic Boulay, 22, of Oromocto, will appear for sentencing in provincial court in custody on Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. after changing his plea to guilty to several charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Boulay pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking (no-contact) and assault involving a female victim between July 4 and July 15 near Northampton and Woodstock. He also pleaded guilty to uttering threats on July 15 in Northampton. The Crown withdrew two other charges.
Boulay pleaded guilty to breaching a no-contact order and unlawful entry at a dwelling house on St. John Street on May 25 in Woodstock. The Crown withdrew another charge of mischief. He had no prior criminal record. Boulay was denied bail on July 28.
His sentencing was first set for Dec. 1 but was adjourned on Thursday to the new date with the consent of both the Crown and defence counsel.
Remanded for mental health assessment
Earl James Demerchant, 34, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 27 and was remanded to Restigouche hospital for a 30-day mental health assessment. He returns to court in custody for a fitness hearing on Dec. 30 at 1:30 p.m.
Demerchant appeared in provincial court in custody via video for a bail hearing on Nov. 6. He was released with conditions and was scheduled to return for plea on Dec. 2 at 9:30 a.m. He was taken back into custody by Woodstock Police on Nov. 22.
Demerchant was charged with causing a disturbance in a public place and breach of probation in connection with an incident on Nov. 5 and breach of a release order and breach of probation on Nov. 22 in Woodstock.
Fined $2,600 for impaired
Damion Andrew Rideout, 25, of Woodstock, was fined $2,600 when he appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Nov. 26 after pleading guilty to impaired driving. He was also prohibited from driving for one year.
Woodstock Police charged Rideout concerning an incident on April 11 in Woodstock. He had no prior criminal record.
The charge was laid following a two-vehicle collision on Main Street. The court heard Rideout did not cause the accident, but police found him impaired behind the wheel with a blood alcohol reading double the legal limit.
Sentencing in Fredericton
Austin Barrett Soucy, 26, of Keswick Ridge, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 27 and told the court he intended to plead guilty to all charges against him.
Soucy requested that all his files be transferred to Fredericton, where he is awaiting sentencing on other matters on Jan. 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. A monitoring hearing was set for Jan. 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Woodstock to confirm the completion of the file transfer.
Soucy was charged by the RCMP with break and enter and theft at a Department of Transportation garage in Coldstream on Oct. 3, and with breaking into the Valley Chainsaw Shop in Jacksonville on Sept. 16.
Woodstock Police charged him with two counts of mischief, causing property damage to two vehicles, theft of tools, break and enter and theft of a motor vehicle on Oct. 2 at a business in Woodstock.
Remanded for plea
Christian Mario Albert, 39, of no fixed address, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 26 for a fitness hearing after completing a 30-day mental health assessment at Restigouche hospital. He was found fit to stand trial.
Albert waived his bail until later and was remanded for plea until Dec. 16 at 9:30 a.m. He appeared in provincial court in custody on Oct. 29 and was charged by Woodstock Police with attempting to steal a motor vehicle and breach of probation for an incident on Oct. 28 in Woodstock.
Bail hearing rescheduled
Brodey O’Donnell, 22, of Campbell Settlement, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 27 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
O’Donnell was charged by the RCMP with assaulting police, uttering threats, and resisting arrest for an incident on July 17 at Campbell Settlement.
He appeared in provincial court in custody in Woodstock on Aug. 19 after being arrested on a warrant on charges in Edmundston. He faces another charge of resisting arrest for an altercation with sheriffs at the courthouse on Aug. 19.
O’Donnell also appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing in Woodstock on July 28 and was released. He was recently taken back into custody and charged with failing to attend court in Woodstock.
On Oct. 30, a new charge of breaching his release order (curfew) was laid by the RCMP for an incident on Sept. 26 at Campbell Settlement.
Arrest warrant issued
The court issued an arrest warrant for Robert McFarlane, 39, of Florenceville-Bristol, after he failed to appear for trial in provincial court on Nov. 26.
The RCMP charged him with assaulting another man on April 4, 2024, at Florenceville-Bristol, and breaking into a dwelling house, committing mischief, causing property damage to a door, and breaching an undertaking on May 4, 2024, in Johnville. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date was set.
McFarlane also appeared in provincial court on Aug. 5 and pleaded not guilty to two other charges laid by the RCMP. Another trial date was booked for Aug. 24, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. He was charged with uttering threats and theft of cigarettes in connection with an incident on Feb. 15 at Florenceville-Bristol.
Sentencing for mischief
Megan Shaw, 36, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Dec. 31 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading guilty to a mischief charge.
Shaw was charged by the RCMP with mischief, causing property damage to a windshield (using a rock) on Aug. 20 at Wotstak. She pleaded guilty at a court appearance on Nov. 25. The court heard a $300 restitution order may be part of her sentence.
Charged with assault
Patrick Joseph McLeod, 22, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge.
Woodstock Police charged McLeod with assault causing bodily harm involving a female victim in connection with an incident on Aug. 23.
He made his first court appearance on Nov. 25 when the matter was adjourned to the new date. He was released on an undertaking until that time.
Returning for plea
Kolby Donald Carter-Alden, 19, of Meductic, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on three charges.
Carter-Alden was charged by Woodstock Police with resisting arrest, flight from police and dangerous driving concerning an incident on July 29 in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Nov. 25 when the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.
Neqotkuk man charged
Luc Senechal, 46, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), will appear in provincial court on Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge.
RCMP charged Senechal with assault involving a female victim following an incident on June 30 at Neqotkuk. He made his first court appearance on Nov. 25 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Warrant on file
A warrant was held on file for Joshua Williams, 28, of Centreville, who failed to appear in provincial court on Nov. 25 to answer an assault charge.
Williams was charged by the RCMP with assault involving a female victim in connection with an incident on Aug. 23 at Centreville.
Trial scheduled
Young Joong Noh, 65, of Florenceville-Bristol, will appear for trial in provincial court on Nov. 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to an assault charge.
RCMP charged Noh with assaulting a female victim stemming from an incident on Sept. 18 at Florenceville-Bristol. His defence counsel entered his not-guilty plea on Nov. 25.
The court heard Noh is now living in Vancouver. A monitoring hearing was scheduled for Jan. 27, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. to confirm he will be ready to proceed to trial.
New trial date
Bianca Laqua, 35, of Woodstock, will appear for trial in provincial court on April 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to one charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Laqua was charged with refusing a breathalyzer in connection with an incident on Sept. 21, 2024, in Woodstock. Her trial was first set for Dec. 1 but was rescheduled. On Nov. 26, the court heard she was still trying to secure legal counsel for her trial. A hearing was booked for Feb. 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Sentencing for two incidents
Braxton Denny, 24, of Jacksonville, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Jan. 7, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. after changing his plea to guilty on several charges.
His sentencing date was first set for Dec. 16, but was adjourned to the new date with the consent of both the Crown and defence counsel.
Denny was charged by Woodstock Police with assault, committing mischief by damaging a TV, and breach of a release order by failing to abstain from drugs between May 1 and June 6, 2024, in Woodstock; and assaulting a woman, assault by choking, two counts of uttering threats, committing mischief by damaging a mirror and a door, and breach of a release order by failing to abstain from drugs for another incident between June 6-7, 2024, in Woodstock.
He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond on all the assault charges and then pleaded guilty to the remaining charges laid in 2024. The peace bond will result in the withdrawal of the assault charges.
Denny appeared in provincial court in custody via video on June 17, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released on conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. The ankle bracelet was removed at his court appearance on Sept. 11. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainants and must abstain from the use of alcohol and drugs.
