Woman gets jail time for punching BPS officer

A 30-year-old woman was sentenced to 42 days in jail for assaulting a police officer, paired with $700 worth of fines for committing a string of offences while she was using methamphetamine in Brandon.

Madison Engelbretson pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court on Monday to three separate assaults, theft under $5,000 and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent for incidents occurring between February and August this year.

“At the time of these offences, she was unemployed, experiencing financial instability and struggling significantly with methamphetamine use,” said Tesia Romaniw, a criminal defence articling student with Eric Wach Law Corporation.

“Her substance use was a factor in the downward spiral reflected in these offences, but more importantly at the same time, she had lost contact with her young son, which was extremely destabilizing for her and contributed to her emotional deterioration.”

Engelbretson’s most recent offending occurred on Aug. 24 when she was arrested in the 100 block of Eighth Street for assaulting an officer, and on an outstanding warrant for stealing from Dollarama two days earlier, Crown attorney Caroline Lacey said.

The accused had run from police on Aug. 22 as her co-accused was being arrested for theft in the Corral Centre. When she was later located, Engelbretson resisted arrest, Lacey said.

As the female Brandon Police Service officer grabbed her left wrist, Engelbretson pulled away and raised her right arm before the officer struck her in the face to gain compliance, Lacey said.

Then Engelbretson turned and punched the officer in the face two or three times.

“There’s a struggle that ensues. They both end up on the ground together,” the Crown said.

During the incident, the accused told the officer she punched her in an act of self-defence.

“Const. Chartrand was in the lawful execution of her duties in trying to get compliance from Miss Engelbretson. So that’s not, from the Crown’s perspective, an excuse to why she turned around and retaliated in such a way,” Lacey said.

Romaniw said her client has taken responsibility for the assault by pleading guilty and writing an apology letter to the officer.

“At the time, Miss Engelbretson was acutely distressed and emotionally dysregulated, and being arrested together with everything else occurring in her life tipped her over the edge,” she said.

“She quite candidly was not in a mental state in which she was processing directions or responding to the officer rationally.”

Court heard Engelbretson assaulted her former partner in the presence of their child on Feb. 2. Her ex told police she became argumentative during a visit with their son and punched him.

Months later, she was arrested for another assault charge after an incident at Plato’s Closet on Richmond Avenue and First Street.

On May. 29, an employee at the clothing store told police Engelbretson had thrown a Starbucks cup filled with vodka at her after she was told to leave, knowing she was banned from shopping there.

Police were also called to a home in Brandon on Aug. 10 after an acquaintance of Engelbretson reported she had taken his car without his consent. Though the accused returned the vehicle shortly after taking it, the complainant pressed charges because there had been ongoing issues between them, Lacey said.

The Crown noted Engelbretson had 63 days of enhanced credit for time served and suggested a 60-day sentence for assaulting a police officer with fines for the remaining charges and 18 months of supervised probation.

Romaniw suggested 30 days of enhanced credit for time served, nominal fines and one year of supervised probation.

“She is a Métis woman whose childhood was marked by significant instability and trauma,” Romaniw said, adding that the accused was primarily raised by her grandmother until she was moved into a group home.

Judge Patrick Sullivan acknowledged Engelbretson was mentally struggling during her offending, but encouraged her to consider what example she’s setting for her son, now five years old.

“I’m hopeful that on your release, you’re going to seek out some help for the meth. If you continue a relationship with methamphetamine, you’ll never be in a position to parent a child,” he said.

Sullivan sentenced her to time already spent in custody — 42 days — for the assault on the police officer and ordered her to pay about $700 worth of fines for the remaining charges. She was also sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation with a condition to not contact the complainants except to arrange visits with her child through a third party.

She must report to a probation officer, attend counselling as directed and not possess any weapons.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com