Wostak man back in custody
Takoda Louis Lee Christian, 20, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared for trial in Woodstock Provincial Court in custody via video on March 20 after being arrested on new charges in Fredericton.
He awaits a bail hearing in Fredericton on March 23 at 9:30 a.m. on charges of flight from police, dangerous driving and breaching a no-contact order.
Christian was scheduled to appear in Woodstock court for trial on Friday on one set of charges laid by the RCMP.
Defence Counsel Wanda Severns requested an adjournment to allow more time to review a mental health report. Several other charges awaiting trial were also re-booked with the Crown’s consent.
Christian’s new trial dates were confirmed for June 10 at 9:30 a.m., June 17 at 9:30 a.m., and July 6 at 9:30 a.m.
In June 2025, Christian was released from custody to attend a rehab facility and was later ordered to undergo a mental health assessment. He pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges and was awaiting trial when he was rearrested in Fredericton.
Christian was charged by Woodstock Police with breach of a release order (house arrest) on April 16, 2025, at Wotstak, and breach of a no-contact order on April 14, 2025, in Woodstock.
He was also charged with assault and unlawful confinement between June 29, 2024, and July 4, 2024, at Wotstak; assault and two counts of assault by choking in Fredericton between Feb. 10, 2025, and Feb. 19, 2025; and mischief causing property damage to a cell phone between Feb. 10 and Feb. 19, 2025, at Wotstak.
He was also charged with assaulting another man with a weapon (a knife), uttering threats and mischief, causing property damage to a window in connection with an incident on April 8, 2025, in Lansdowne.
Christian also faces charges laid by Woodstock Police following an assault outside the Royal Canadian Legion on Nov. 14, 2024. Police were called to the scene, and a man was transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Christian was charged with assault with a weapon (a vehicle), dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
He also appeared in provincial court on April 15, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to another indictable assault charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Christian pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault concerning an incident on March 25, 2025, at the Ayr Motor Centre. Woodstock. Police said a 16-year-old victim suffered significant injuries in the incident and was transported to the Upper River Valley Hospital for treatment.
Sentence reserved in domestic upset
Bonnie Noel, 57, of Dow Settlement, appeared for sentencing in provincial court on March 19 after changing her plea to guilty on several charges laid by the RCMP.
After hearing submissions from Crown Prosecutor Sean Corscadden and Defence Counsel Alex Carleton, Judge Rose Campbell reserved her decision on sentence until April 8 at 9:30 a.m.
Noel pleaded guilty to breaching three undertakings (no-contact) between Jan. 21, 2024, and Aug. 6, 2024, at North Lake, Canterbury and Jacksonville; guilty to breach of a peace bond on Aug. 6, 2024 at Jacksonville; guilty to two counts of assault on Aug. 6, 2024, at Canterbury; and guilty to two counts of failing to appear in court between March 14 and June 13. Several other charges were withdrawn by the Crown.
She pleaded not guilty to another assault on Aug. 6, 2024, in Jacksonville and her trial was set for Aug. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
At a hearing on March 17, the court heard details of an ongoing domestic dispute, family tragedy, mental health issues, and the breakdown of a toxic relationship, which caused Noel to lose control of her emotions. She had no prior criminal record.
On March 19, Noel told the court she was not proud of her behaviour and that she had spent the last two years trying to get her life back on track.
“I fully admit I lost my mind,” Noel said. “I wish it never happened.”
Crown Prosecutor Sean Corscadden recommended Noel be sentenced to 150-180 days in jail and two years of probation due to the domestic violence involved and because she breached numerous court orders, creating a repeated pattern that showed disrespect for the judicial process.
Defence Counsel Alex Carleton suggested Noel receive a conditional sentence order of 300-365 days, which he said she could serve under house arrest and with a curfew from her home in Ontario. He said his client was committed to continuing counselling, and moving back to Ontario would give her a fresh start away from the epicentre of her domestic troubles.
“Her offences were rooted in a moment in time and crisis in her life,” Carleton said. “She was having severe issues.”
Noel appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Sept. 11, 2025, after being arrested on a warrant. Following a bail hearing, she was released with conditions. She told the court she had been in Ontario but surrendered to police upon her return.
Fined for theft
Harvey Briand, 27, of Zealand, was fined $150 and placed on 12 months of probation on March 20 after pleading guilty to a theft charge laid by the RCMP.
Briand was charged with stealing gas for an incident on Feb. 21, 2025, in Cloverdale. He was arrested on a warrant in Fredericton and released with conditions until his sentencing.
Sentencing in April
Dylan Rideout, 26, of Hartland, appeared for trial in provincial court on March 20 and changed his plea to guilty on one charge laid by the RCMP. His sentencing was booked for April 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Rideout was charged with two counts of uttering threats and failing to report his whereabouts to the national sex offender registry on Oct. 2, 2025, in Woodstock.
He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond for the threats and pleaded guilty to the remaining charge. The peace bond will result in the withdrawal of the threat charges.
Rideout also faces sentencing on another charge on April 7 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading guilty to mischief. Rideout was charged by Woodstock Police with committing mischief, causing property damage to a vehicle on Feb. 1, 2025. He entered his guilty plea at a court appearance on Dec. 30, 2025.
Bail hearing adjourned
Gunner Gray, 24, of Upper Kintore, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on March 19 for a bail hearing after being arrested on five charges laid by the RCMP. His bail hearing was adjourned until March 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Gray was charged with two counts of breaching his release order (no driving), flight from police, dangerous driving and impaired driving in connection with an incident on March 17 in Glassville.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody on March 3 and was released on conditions, including the requirement to wear an ankle electronic monitoring device.
Gray is scheduled to return to court for plea on March 24 at 9:30 a.m. He was charged with breaching a no-contact order between Feb. 11 and Feb. 27 in Jacksonville and Bath, flight from police, and driving while suspended on Feb. 11 in Jacksonville.
Gray is also scheduled for trial in provincial court on March 18, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to other charges laid by the RCMP.
Gray was charged with uttering threats, resisting arrest, fleeing police and four violations of the Motor Vehicle Act for incidents on Feb. 25, April 8 and July 22, 2025. The court heard the crown will be seeking jail time on the charges.
Released with conditions
Joshua Williams, 28, of Centreville, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on March 19 for a bail hearing after being arrested on two charges laid by the RCMP. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on April 9 at 9:30 a.m.
Williams was charged with uttering threats and breaching an undertaking and was arrested on the weekend.
He also appeared in provincial court on Jan. 13 and pleaded not guilty to assault. His trial on that charge was set for Jan. 22, 2027, at 1:30 p.m.
Williams was charged by the RCMP with assault involving a female victim concerning an incident on Aug. 23, 2025, in Centreville. A monitoring hearing was also booked for April 14 at 9:30 a.m.
Arrested on warrant
Curtis Brent Hatheway, 46, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on March 19 for a bail hearing after being arrested on a warrant by Woodstock Police. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on April 7 at 9:30 a.m.
Hatheway was charged with breaching a court order, assault, and uttering threats and was arrested on March 17. He also appeared in provincial court on Feb. 24 to answer a stolen property charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Hatheway was charged with possession of a stolen bicycle on Oct. 3, 2025, in Woodstock. He was scheduled to return to court for plea on March 17, but failed to appear.
Released after bail hearing
Christopher Elliott, 35, of Wapske, appeared in provincial court in custody via video for a bail hearing on March 19 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to return to court. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on April 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Elliott was charged by the RCMP with breaking into a dwelling house and breaching probation in connection with an incident on March 31, 2025, at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation). He had an earlier bail hearing and was released on conditions, but did not return for the plea.
Released from custody
James Blair Hovey, 29, of Perth Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on March 19 for a bail hearing on five charges laid by the RCMP. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on March 31 at 9:30 a.m.
Hovey was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, possession of a stolen snowmobile, flight from police and breach of probation following an incident on Feb. 24 at Florenceville-Bristol. He has a prior criminal record.
Fit to stand trial
Dominic (Dominique) Gagnon, 40, of Beechwood, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on March 19 for a fitness hearing after being remanded for a 30-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital.
The accused was found fit to stand trial, held for a bail hearing on March 20, and then released on conditions. Gagnon will return to court for plea on April 7 at 9:30 a.m.
Gagnon was charged by the RCMP with committing public mischief, uttering threats and resisting arrest in connection with an incident on Feb. 17 at Stickney.
Sentencing on three charges
Allison Drier, 47, of Carlow, appeared in provincial court on March 18 for sentencing after pleading guilty to three charges laid by the RCMP. His sentencing was adjourned until April 14 at 1:30 p.m.
Drier was charged with two counts of uttering threats and mischief, causing property damage to a vehicle following an incident on Aug. 2, 2025, at Carlow.
New trial date
Seth McAskill, 22, of Wapske, appeared for trial in provincial court on March 19 after pleading not guilty to assault charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was adjourned until July 10 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
McAskill appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 2, 2025, and was released with conditions. He was charged with two counts of assault involving a female victim on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18, 2024, at Plaster Rock, and breach of an undertaking by violating a no-contact order on Jan. 20, 2025, at Plaster Rock.
Sentencing adjourned
Leah Driscoll, 45, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), will appear for sentencing in provincial court on May 7 at 1:30 p.m. after changing her plea to guilty on charges laid by the RCMP. A monitoring hearing on March 20 confirmed that her pre-sentence report had been completed.
She pleaded guilty to willfully neglecting an animal (two dogs) under the SPCA Act on July 23, 2023, at Neqotkuk; guilty to resisting arrest on July 23, 2023, and April 29, 2024; and breaching a release order on April 29, 2024, and May 26, 2024, in Woodstock. Three other charges were withdrawn by the Crown.
Returning for plea
Dana Newell, 28, of Perth-Andover, appeared in provincial court on March 20 to answer two charges laid by the RCMP. He was charged with possession of stolen property and breach of probation and returns to court for plea on April 10 at 9:30 a.m.
