30 days in jail for threats, public disturbance
Earl James Demerchant, 34, of Woodstock, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, minus three days spent in remand, when he appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 7.
Demerchant was arrested this week on new charges laid by Woodstock Police. He waived his bail and pleaded guilty to uttering threats to a police officer and causing a disturbance in a public place on Aug. 5 in Woodstock. The crown withdrew another charge of assaulting a police officer.
Judge Martin Goguen also placed him on 12 months of probation and ordered him to seek counselling for addiction and mental health.
The court heard Demerchant was yelling and screaming on Broadway Street on Tuesday and then walked into traffic on the corner of Main and Chapel Streets, while yelling and uttering threats to a police officer. He refused to cooperate and was tasered and taken into custody.
Defence Counsel Lindsay Paul told the court that Demerchant struggles with ongoing homelessness and substance abuse.
Demerchant also received a suspended sentence and probation on three other charges. He pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking on March 8 at Tim Hortons on Main Street, guilty to assaulting police, and guilty to breach of probation on Jan. 19 at Tim Hortons in Woodstock. Other charges of resisting arrest on Jan. 19 and breach of probation on Nov. 3, 2024, in Waterville were withdrawn by the crown.
Demerchant agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond in relation to another charge of uttering threats against another man on May 4 on Chestnut Street in Woodstock. The peace bond will result in that charge being withdrawn. Demerchant has a prior criminal record.
He appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on July 17 after being arrested on a warrant by Woodstock Police. He was released with conditions until his sentencing for the incidents on March 8 and Jan. 19, but was re-arrested.
Arrested on a warrant
Chad Brooker, 36, of Centreville, appeared in court in custody via teleconference on Aug. 8 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court earlier this week. He was released on an undertaking and ordered to return to court for plea on Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m.
Brooker was charged with sexual assault, touching a minor for a sexual purpose and invitation to sexual touching in connection with an incident between June 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, at Centreville.
Not guilty of impaired driving
Amit Mann, 40, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 6 and was found not guilty after trial on an impaired driving charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Mann was charged in connection with an incident on Feb. 11, 2023, in Woodstock.
Charge withdrawn
Kyle Carter, 30, of Moncton, formerly of Jacksontown, was scheduled to appear for trial in provincial court on Aug. 8, but the crown withdrew the charge.
Carter pleaded not guilty to break, enter, and theft at a dwelling house on Route 103 in Wakefield on Aug. 21, 2019.
Plea pending on assault charges
Courtney Demerchant, 28, of Beechwood, will appear in provincial court on Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. to answer two assault charges laid by the RCMP.
Demerchant was charged with assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm concerning an incident on Nov. 5, 2024, in Beechwood. She was scheduled to appear in provincial court on Aug. 5 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Trial date set for firearm offences
Scott Robert Bailey, 71, of Bedell, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 5 and pleaded not guilty to nine gun charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for Sept. 17-18, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Bailey was charged with multiple counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, and careless use of a firearm in connection with an incident on April 23 at Bedell. He was represented in court by Defence Counsel James Crocco.
Glassville woman charged
Katrina Bouchard, 48, of Glassville, will appear in provincial court on Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge laid by the RCMP.
Bouchard was charged with assault following an incident on April 19 at Juniper. She made her first court appearance on Aug. 5 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Returning for plea
Michael Feaver, 44, of Gordonsville, will appear in provincial court on Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an impaired driving charge.
The RCMP charged Feaver following an incident on May 31 in Fielding. He made his first court appearance on Aug. 5 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Reviewing disclosure
Jade Marvin Craft, 52, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Aug. 5 to answer an assault charge laid by the RCMP.
Craft was charged with assault with a weapon stemming from an incident on April 29 at Neqotkuk. The matter was adjourned for plea until Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. to allow the defence more time to review a disclosure of evidence from the crown.
Trial adjourned
Collin Francis Bear, 35, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), was scheduled to appear for trial in provincial court on Aug. 7 on an assault charge laid by the RCMP.
The trial was adjourned with the consent of both the crown and defence counsel. Bear was charged in connection with an incident at Neqotkuk in 2024. A new date for his trial will be set on Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m.
Confirmed legal counsel
Jacob Alexander Roy, 27, of Windsor, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 7 for a monitoring hearing about his trial. He confirmed he has legal counsel to proceed to trial on Aug. 29 and Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Roy appeared in provincial court in custody on June 26 for a bail hearing and waived his bail until later. On March 19, he appeared in court in custody and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
RCMP charged Roy with breaching a release order by violating the conditions of his house arrest (ankle bracelet) following an incident on Feb. 8 at Coldstream.
He was also charged by Woodstock Police with possession of methamphetamine and cocaine, both for the purpose of trafficking, breach of a release order, carrying a concealed weapon (plastic knuckles), and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, concerning an incident in Woodstock on Aug. 3, 2024. The crown withdrew another charge of possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles). Roy has been in custody since his arrest.
In custody awaiting plea
Justin Jones, 24, of Beechwood, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 7 for plea on multiple charges laid by the RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. to allow him more time to consult legal counsel.
Jones was arrested on a warrant and denied bail on July 24. He was charged with assaulting a woman with a wooden stick and assault causing bodily harm for an incident on Feb. 5 in Piercemont; possession of a firearm without a licence (a 12-gauge, pump action shotgun), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, uttering threats, breaching a no-contact order, and resisting arrest on July 9 at Beechwood. The charges were laid following a six-hour standoff with police.
Detention review hearing
Mitchell McKenzie, 39, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 7 for a monitoring hearing about his upcoming trial. His legal counsel was not present, so the matter was adjourned until Aug. 19, when he will appear in court in custody for a detention review hearing at the Court of King’s Bench.
McKenzie appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 25 and pleaded not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for Sept. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
McKenzie was denied bail and remanded to jail on March 27. He was arrested and charged by the RCMP with breach of a release order (no alcohol or drugs) and committing mischief concerning an incident on March 21 at Wotstak.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody on March 17 following a five-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital. Judge Karen Lee found McKenzie fit to stand trial and released him with conditions, but he returned to custody. His medical report indicated he struggles with alcohol and heavy drug use.
McKenzie appeared in court in custody on March 10 after being arrested on a warrant. The RCMP charged him with assaulting another man with a weapon (a wooden pole) following an incident on July 24, 2024, at Wotstak.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody on Nov. 25, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, but then failed to return to court for plea. He missed three court dates before being arrested on a warrant.
In custody awaiting trial
Joshua Adam Demerchant, 35, of Pembroke, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 7 to set dates for his trial after pleading not guilty to charges laid by Woodstock Police. His trial dates were set for Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. and Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
Demerchant was denied bail on June 30 after being arrested on a warrant. He faces charges of breaching a release order, dangerous driving, fleeing police, and driving while suspended for an incident on July 15, 2024.
Demerchant pleaded not guilty to several other charges and was scheduled for trial in January, but failed to appear. He was charged by Woodstock Police with two counts of breaching a release order stemming from incidents on Oct. 18, 2023, at Pembroke and on Dec. 4, 2023, in Woodstock.
He was also charged by the RCMP with possession of stolen property (an ATV) and failing to stop for police in connection with an incident on July 12, 2023, near Hartland.
Sentencing set for Perth-Andover man
Mitchell LaFrance, 26, of Perth-Andover, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Aug. 8 and changed his plea to guilty on an assault charge laid by the RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m.
LaFrance pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm involving a female victim stemming from an incident on July 19, 2024, at Carlingford. The crown withdrew two other charges.
LaFrance has been in custody since he was arrested on a charge of breaching his release order for an incident on Jan. 24 in Edmundston.
In February, he was sentenced to 99 days in jail after pleading guilty to two more charges laid by the RCMP. He was also placed on 12 months of probation.
He pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking by failing to comply with a no-contact order on Oct. 2, 2023, at East Brighton, and guilty to criminal harassment for incidents between Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, 2023, in Lower Brighton, involving the same female complainant.
Off house arrest and ankle bracelet
Jeffrey Richard Bull, 45, of Newburg, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 7 for his trial on two charges laid by Woodstock Police. The trial was adjourned until Aug. 29 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of the crown.
Bull was charged with aggravated assault and breach of probation concerning an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, at 2 a.m., when a man suffered a broken elbow after being struck by a bat on St. James Street in Woodstock. The alleged victim was a newcomer to the town for only three days.
RCMP also charged Bull with breaking into a dwelling house and breach of probation stemming from an incident on March 16 at Bulls Creek. He pleaded not guilty.
He appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on March 27. He was released with conditions, including house arrest with permission to attend work, and the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
Those restrictions were lifted during his court appearance on Aug. 7. However, Bull must still follow a curfew.
A separate charge of assault causing bodily harm to another man was transferred back to Edmundston to schedule his trial on that matter.
In custody in Quebec
Austin Aubin, 28, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court via teleconference on Aug. 7 for plea on charges laid by the RCMP. The court heard he was still in custody in Quebec.
Aubin requested that all his charges be transferred to Quebec, where he intends to enter a guilty plea. A monitoring date was set for Nov. 4 at 9:30 a.m. to confirm that the transfer of his file has been completed.
He was charged by the RCMP with possession of a firearm while prohibited from having it, breach of probation, unsafe storage of a firearm, and possession of a firearm without a licence concerning a March 27 incident at Neqotkuk.
Aubin was also charged with breaching a no-contact order on April 28 in Aroostook. He appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on April 29. He was released with conditions, including house arrest and the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
At the time of his release, Aubin was residing in Campbellton. He was later arrested and taken into custody in Quebec.
