Time served for assaulting ex-girlfriend, bringing knife to ER

A man received a three-month sentence for time served in custody after he assaulted his former partner and brought a knife into the Brandon emergency room while experiencing a meth-induced mental health crisis.

Jesse Wielenga, 40, pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court on Thursday to one count of assault, breaching a no-contact order and breaching an order not to possess any weapons.

In the first incident on July 17, Wielenga and his ex-girlfriend got into an argument when she was gathering her personal belongings at his residence around 7 a.m., Crown attorney Andrew Sieklicki said.

“The situation escalated when Mr. Wielenga, using both hands, shoved (the woman) onto the couch,” he said, adding that he threw a box at her that contained a watch.

The watch struck the woman’s left shin, causing it to bruise, Sieklicki said. Wielenga also threw a power cord, which hit her in the torso.

Before the woman left the home, Wielenga grabbed her by the face and shoved her again, he said.

She filed a protection order against Wielenga, which he breached on July 31 when he slept over at a home the victim was visiting.

On Aug. 30, police were notified that Wielenga had run into the ER at the Brandon Regional Health Centre with a knife.

“Police were advised that hospital security had handcuffed him and placed him into the seclusion room,” Sielicki said.

Hospital security told police that Wielenga was “causing a scene” at the health centre and was asking irrelevant questions, he said. A nurse requested security officers keep a close eye on him throughout the night.

At one point, Wielenga tried to push past security and go to a small hallway at the back of the ER. Security tackled him to the ground and saw he was holding a knife in his right hand, Sieklicki said.

The knife was extending from a multi-tool device.

At the time, Wielenga was on an order not to own, possess or carry any weapons.

The Crown and defence jointly recommended Wielenga receive a 30-day sentence for each of his charges followed by one year of supervised probation. The offender had 92 days of enhanced credit for time served at the Brandon Correctional Centre.

“Custody seems to be the last resort that we … ask the court to use to get the message to Mr. Wielenga that not only does he need to get his life in order, but that these sort of behaviours, not only with the domestic partner, but also in a public place where … people go to expect help is extremely dangerous and concerning, at the very least,” Sieklicki said.

Defence lawyer Andrew Synyshyn said his client returned to using substances in the summer and got into a relationship with the victim.

“He acknowledges his behaviour toward her was abominable. Ultimately, he acted terribly toward her, and he does apologize to her,” Synyshyn said.

As for the weapons offence, his lawyer said Wielenga was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time and never planned to use the knife to hurt anyone.

“This has been some time for him to reflect on his actions and his behaviour and again, recognize the steps he needs to take,” he said.

Wielenga, who appeared in court virtually from jail, echoed his lawyer’s comments.

“I’m back to where I need to be mentally. I was out of it for a little while,” he said.

“I had a drug problem, and so I’m glad that I got sober, and I’m going to stay that way.”

Provincial court Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta scolded him, saying he showed little remorse for how his actions impacted others.

“That incident in the hospital, in particular, is very concerning to me,” she said.

“I appreciate you have some issues that make life a bit harder in terms of the mental health piece and the addiction piece, but it’s within your power to take steps to address those issues and to manage them, and, you know, what I’ve heard about today is a failure on your part to do so.”

She accepted the joint recommendation from both counsel and ordered that he follow release conditions, including not possessing any weapons or contacting the victim and staying 200 metres from her home, work, school or place of worship.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com