Guilty of assault with baseball bat
Jeffrey Richard Bull, 45, of Newburg, was found guilty after trial on Aug. 28 of assaulting another man by hitting him with a baseball bat and breaking his arm.
Bull was charged by Woodstock Police with aggravated assault and breach of probation concerning an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, at 2 a.m., when a man was struck on St. James Street in Woodstock. He had been a new resident of the town for only three days when the incident occurred.
Judge Leslie Jackson found Bull not guilty of aggravated assault but guilty of the included offence of assault causing bodily harm and guilty of breaching his probation. Bull’s sentencing date was set for Nov. 27 at 1:30 p.m. He has a prior criminal record.
During the trial, the male victim testified he was home partying with friends when Bull began yelling about the noise from across the street. The man said he approached Bull to talk to him when the attack occurred. He said he fainted after being hit with the bat as Bull left the scene. The man required surgery to repair his elbow.
Bull testified he was acting in self-defence because the man made an aggressive gesture by removing his shirt and swinging a punch toward Bull. The police had been called about the noise and commotion on the street just before the assault occurred. They arrested Bull at the scene.
In rendering his verdict, Judge Jackson noted the victim was intoxicated when he went across the street to speak to Bull. Both men were shouting at each other and using vulgarities. Bull was the only one with a weapon, the judge said, and during his testimony he admitted to swinging the bat and hitting the victim.
“Mr. Bull acted in the heat of the moment,” Judge Jackson said. “He intended to hit him and did so and that is assault.”
Bull also appeared in provincial court via teleconference in custody on Aug. 20 and was released with conditions.
The RCMP charged him with breaching his release order (curfew) for an incident on Aug. 8 at Newburg. He returns to court for plea on Sept. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Decision pending for Wotstak man
Takoda Louis Lee Christian, 20, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), will appear in provincial court in custody on Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. before Judge Henrik Tonning for a verdict following his trial about an alleged assault at the AYR Motor Centre in Woodstock.
Christian pleaded not guilty to assault causing bodily harm, mischief, and uttering threats concerning an incident on March 25, 2025. Police said a 16-year-old victim suffered significant injuries in the incident and was transported to the Upper River Valley Hospital for treatment.
During final submissions on Aug. 26, Defence Counsel Wanda Severns argued self-defence, explaining Christian was targeted with racial slurs from two youths in the gym at the AYR Motor Centre and a violent altercation ensued in a nearby stairwell. He did not know the boys, ages 14 and 16, or that they were minors. Christian was 19 at the time.
“They were looking for trouble and targeted Mr. Christian,” Severns told the court. “He tried to walk away. He believed they were going to jump him and he reacted.”
The court heard the two youths followed Christian out of the gym and down a flight of stairs. He asked them, “What’s your problem?” Near the bottom of the stairwell, one youth pushed him. Christian retaliated by punching the youth and kicking him as he fell to the ground. The 16-year-old suffered a serious concussion.
“Have you got anything for me?” Christian asked the other youth, who answered no. Christian then left the scene.
Crown Prosecutor Sean Corscadden agreed that the two youths expected a confrontation when they went down the stairs behind Christian. The Crown lawyer said the question for the court is whether the accused used reasonable or excessive force. Christian denied stomping the injured youth on the head after kicking him on the ground. There were no weapons involved in the incident.
“There was obviously a problem and they took it outside,” Judge Tonning observed. “It looks like trouble was going to happen one way or the other.”
Christian also appeared in provincial court via video, in custody, on Aug. 4, and pleaded not guilty to four other charges laid by the RCMP. His trial dates were set for Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Christian was charged with uttering threats, committing mischief, and two counts of breaching a release order stemming from an incident on June 28.
Christian appeared in provincial court in custody on July 6 and changed his plea to guilty on other separate charges laid by the RCMP.
Christian was 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. He pleaded guilty to the threat charge, and the Crown withdrew the remaining two charges.
He also pleaded guilty to breach of a release order (no contact) for another incident on May 9-10, 2025, at Wotstak. Christian was also charged with breach of a no-contact order on April 14, 2025, in Wotstak. He pleaded guilty, and a sentencing date will be set after his trial matters conclude.
Remanded after bail hearing
Zachery Don Brooks, 21, of Lower Brighton, will appear in provincial court in custody via video on Aug. 31 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on new charges only one day after resolving several others. He was denied bail on Aug. 24 and remanded.
Brooks was charged with assault by choking involving a female victim, breach of a no-contact order, uttering threats, and assault causing bodily harm in connection with an incident on Aug. 20 in Lower Brighton.’
Brooks appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 21 and changed his plea to guilty on three of 14 other charges. His sentencing date was set for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Brooks was charged with three counts of assault involving a female victim, three counts of assault by choking, one count unlawful confinement, two counts of uttering threats, assault with a weapon (a phone cord), assault while threatening to use a weapon (a knife), possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, and two counts of breaching a release order (no contact).
The charges were laid in connection with a series of incidents on Nov. 24, 2024, Feb. 12, Feb. 17, May 28, June 9, June 10 and June 11, 2025, in Lower Brighton; on June 3 and June 5, 2025, in Hartland.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful confinement and guilty to two counts of the lesser included offence of common assault. The Crown withdrew the remaining 11 charges. The court heard details of a woman being threatened, knocked to the ground, dragged into a house, and held at knifepoint. She was able to send a text message for help, then delete it from her phone.
Brooks also appeared in provincial court on May 19 and pleaded not guilty to six more charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was booked for July 12, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. A monitoring hearing was also set for March 16, 2027, at 9:30 a.m.
He pleaded not guilty to breaching a no-contact order, uttering threats, assault involving a female victim, assault with a weapon (a broom and a board), assault by choking and mischief causing property damage to a cell phone on Oct. 28, 2025, at Lower Brighton.
Sentencing for domestic assault
Patrick Campbell, 29, of Carlingford, was found guilty after trial on Aug. 28 on two assault charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Nov. 30 at 1:30 p.m.
Judge Henrik Tonning found Campbell guilty of assault causing bodily harm to a female victim and guilty of assault by choking her. The Crown invited an acquittal on several other charges during the trial.
The court heard both Campbell and the victim were drinking when they came home from a bar and got into an argument. A scuffle ensued with Campbell punching the woman in the face, pulling her hair, knocking her to the floor and choking her. The woman fought back and left Campbell with scratches and bruises. A neighbour heard the woman yelling “stop, stop,” went to their residence, looked in a window, and saw Campbell on top of the woman, choking her. The neighbour banged on their door and yelled at them. Campbell got up and backed away. The neighbour testified the woman was hysterical and crying.
“He (Campbell) did it out of anger and it was not reasonable under the circumstances,” Judge Tonning said in rendering his decision.
Campbell was found not guilty of breaching a no-contact order and obstructing the course of justice on March 3, 2025, at Carlingford. The alleged offence related to Facebook messages involving the same victim. Judge Tonning ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove Campbell was the author of the messages, noting that police failed to seize his cell phone and did not search the Facebook accounts of the accused or the victim.
Campbell also pleaded not guilty to other charges of sexual assault involving a female victim, assault causing bodily harm, assault by choking, assault with a weapon (a knife), attempting to obstruct justice, and administering a noxious substance, in connection with incidents between 2020 and 2024 in Victoria County.
Charge withdrawn
Lisa Marie Barrett, 49, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 27 after pleading not guilty to an assault charge laid by Woodstock Police. The Crown withdrew the charge, and the trial was cancelled.
Barrett was charged with assault involving a male victim in connection with an incident on Aug. 4, 2024, at Woodstock.
Suspended sentence, probation
Donald Nason, 63, of Hartland, received a suspended sentence and 12 months of probation on Aug. 27 after changing his plea to guilty on an assault charge laid by the RCMP. He was also fined $100.
Nason was charged with assault by choking involving a female victim concerning an incident on Jan. 2, 2025, in Hartland. He pleaded guilty to the lesser included offence of common assault. He had no prior criminal record and agreed to take counselling for anger management.
Beechwood woman awaits verdict
Courtney Demerchant, 28, of Beechwood, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m. for a trial verdict after pleading not guilty to two assault charges laid by the RCMP. She was scheduled for a verdict on Aug. 27 when the matter was postponed at the request of Chief Judge Brian C. McLean, who presided over the trial.
Demerchant was charged with assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm concerning an incident on Nov. 5, 2024, in Beechwood.
She will also appear for trial in provincial court on Feb. 10, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to another assault charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Demerchant was charged with assaulting a male victim in connection with an incident on Feb. 15, 2025, in Woodstock.
Glassville man gets peace bond
Timothy Maurice Thibodeau, 42, of Glassville, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 26 after pleading not guilty to uttering threats on Sept. 4, 2023, at Hartland, and failing to appear in court on Oct. 24, 2024.
He agreed to sign a six-month peace bond on the threat charge, and the remaining charge was adjourned for plea until Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m. The peace bond will result in the threat charge being withdrawn.
Thibodeau appeared in provincial court on Aug. 21 for a monitoring hearing about another trial after pleading not guilty to a drug trafficking charge laid by the RCMP. His trial was set for Sept. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Another monitoring hearing was scheduled for Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m. to confirm he has legal counsel to proceed. Thibodeau pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on Nov. 28, 2023, in Oakland,
Guilty of assault
Sherra Gregg, 29, of Anderson Road, Victoria County, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 26 and changed her plea to guilty on an assault charge laid by the RCMP. Her sentencing date was set for Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m.
Gregg was charged with assaulting another woman and unlawful entry at a dwelling house on July 16, 2024, at Quaker Brook. The Crown withdrew the unlawful entry charge.
Gregg also has a trial set for Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m., after pleading not guilty to other charges of breaching an undertaking on March 31, 2025, in Perth-Andover, and criminal harassment by repeated communication between March 8 and March 25, 2025, in Plaster Rock.
Trial verdict in October
Cindy Demerchant, 53, of Lower Kintore, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. before Judge Henrik Tonning for a verdict following her trial on a theft charge.
Demerchant was charged with break, enter, and theft of food and money from Tim Hortons in Perth-Andover between May 9 and May 31, 2024. She pleaded not guilty.
Evidence presented by the Crown at trial included video surveillance from the restaurant. Testimony from staff revealed that Demerchant was an employee who allegedly entered the premises after hours.
During final submissions on Aug. 26, the court heard the case hinged on the identity of the masked person who was spotted on camera inside the restaurant. Demerchant presented evidence of an alibi, claiming she was home on medical leave when the incident occurred. Staff at the Tim Hortons testified they were sure it was Demerchant in the restaurant, recognizing boots, eyeglasses and hair, the way the person moved about the premises, and the car parked outside the restaurant at the time.
Agreed to peace bond
John Hogarth, 47, of Tobique Narrows, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 24 after pleading not guilty to an assault charge laid by RCMP. He agreed to sign a six-month peace bond, and the trial was cancelled.
Hogarth was charged with assault involving a female victim in connection with an incident on April 5, 2025, at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation). The peace bond will result in the charge being withdrawn.
120 days or time served
Brittany Priscilla King, 28, of Woodstock, was sentenced to 120 days in jail or time served when she appeared in provincial court on Aug. 24. She was also placed on 12 months of probation.
King pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm to a female victim on March 15, 2024, at the Miramichi detention centre. She had a prior criminal record and was recently released after spending several months in custody on other charges.
Charged with breaking windows
Julie MacMillan, 43, of Benton, will appear in provincial court on Sept. 22 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on a mischief charge laid by the RCMP.
MacMillan was charged with committing mischief by breaking windows in connection with an incident on May 10 in Canterbury. She made her first court appearance on Aug. 25 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Returning for plea
Dillion Christopher Langille, 29, of Tatamagouche, will appear in provincial court on Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m. for plea on multiple charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Langille was charged with flight from police, dangerous driving, mischief, assaulting a police officer, and resisting arrest, concerning an incident on July 5 in Woodstock. He appeared in court via teleconference on Aug. 25 when the matter was adjourned to allow him more time to secure legal counsel. A warrant was held on file until his next court appearance.
12-month peace bond
Robert McFarlane, 39, of Florenceville-Bristol, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 24 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by the RCMP.
McFarlane was charged with uttering threats and theft of cigarettes in connection with an incident on Feb. 15 at Florenceville-Bristol. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond on the threat charge, and the Crown withdrew the theft charge. The peace bond will result in the threat charge being withdrawn.
He is awaiting trial on other charges of 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 breach of an undertaking on May 4, 2024, in Johnville. He pleaded not guilty.
