Man gets conditional discharge for attacking woman in parking lot

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This article was published 19/01/2018 (3009 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man caught on video attacking a woman in a Brandon parking lot after his motorcycle tipped over pleaded guilty on Thursday, telling the court the incident happened on a “very dark day.”

Colton Goforth, 28, pleaded guilty to assault in Brandon provincial court.

The Crown was initially seeking a suspended sentence, Crown attorney Deidre Badcock said. However, given the rehabilitation steps Goforth has taken since the incident, in addition to having no prior criminal record, the Crown was willing to offer a conditional discharge — allowing him the opportunity to maintain his clean record.

On June 20, police were called to a parking lot on the 1300 block of First Street North after a heavily intoxicated man was being confrontational, hitting others and yelling at a woman, Badcock said.

Officers learned the woman had been driving through the parking lot searching for a spot while Goforth was having trouble picking up his motorcycle that had fallen down.

The woman parked and was helping her children out of the car when Goforth — who was a stranger to the victim — approached her, yelling, “You’re some piece of work, why aren’t you helping me? What kind of a human being are you? You’re a piece of trash,” Badcock said.

When she tried to tell him she had her children with her, Goforth pushed her backwards, causing her to fall and hit her head on the ground.

Goforth then attempted to approach the woman’s daughter, Badcock said, but the woman put herself in between the two and Goforth backed away.

As the family started walking toward the apartment building they were heading to, Goforth approached them again, shouting insults and blocking them from getting in the building.

Officers noted his extreme level of intoxication, describing him as acting erratically and violently and “unintelligibly yelling,” Badcock said.

“This person was someone who was minding her own business and came into contact with Mr. Goforth really by no fault of her own,” Badcock said. “She did nothing to attract his attention other than just happen to be there when Mr. Goforth was having a frustrating moment.”

Alcohol was a major factor in the offence, defence counsel Ellen McCarville said, in addition to Goforth’s struggles with depression and anxiety — partially stemming from a previous job as a videographer with Global News.

He is still dealing with some of the tragic scenes he had to attend, McCarville said, such as house fires and car crashes.

Goforth also told the court he had found out a friend had committed suicide that day, but acknowledged it didn’t justify his actions and that he is seeking help.

“A conditional discharge is not contrary to the public interest. Mr. Goforth is taking responsibility for his actions and … he’s been proactive in addressing his alcohol abuse issues and recognizing his mental health issues as well,” McCarville said. “He has been given an opportunity to earn a clean record —and that is an opportunity that he does not take lightly.”

Agreeing with the recommendation, Judge Donovan Dvorak sentenced Goforth to one year conditional discharge, in which he must keep the peace and be of good behaviour, attend counselling and programming recommended by a probation officer and have no contact with the victim.

“You had a tough day — and we all have difficult times — but you made someone else’s day pretty tough, too,” Dvorak said. “But taking into consideration what you’ve done up to this point and that you’ve never been before the court before, I’m confident that you’re going to follow what you say and we’re not going to see you back here again.”

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