Man receives fine and probation for assault

A Sioux Valley Dakota Nation man received a $100 fine and one year of probation for assaulting his partner last summer.

Keanu Chaske, 30, pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon but guilty to assault in Brandon provincial court on Wednesday. He was also initially charged with attempted assault by choking, uttering threats and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Those charges were stayed after he pleaded guilty to the single assault charge.

The Crown recommended a fine and a one-year period of unsupervised probation, while Chaske’s lawyer argued for a conditional discharge, meaning Chaske is guilty of the offence but no conviction would appear on his criminal record if he follows certain court-imposed conditions.

Crown attorney Sarah Kok outlined the details behind the guilty plea.

On July 5, 2025, Virden RCMP received a report of a domestic assault in Sioux Valley. First Nations safety officers received a call from a community member who said they heard screaming coming from the neighbour’s property.

Safety officers transported the victim to the hospital for medical assessments, where Mounties met with her and saw she had injuries consistent with being assaulted.

Kok said she and Chaske’s lawyer had discussions, and it sounded like the woman had been in an ATV or quad accident around the time of the incident.

“So, the vast majority of the bruises that appear to be noted from the hospital are likely as a result of the ATV crash and not the alleged assault,” Kok said.

She said Chaske was willing to accept that he and his partner were yelling and arguing, and items were being thrown around the house. Kok said Chaske was trying to “control her,” and when she didn’t “listen to his instructions, he ended up pinning her down to the bed, holding her arms down on the bed, and was continuing to scream at her.”

The neighbour who called police said she heard a woman yelling at the man to stop and let her go, which Kok said is consistent with what Chaske took responsibility for.

“Initially in her statement, she mentioned the fact that weapons were utilized, that there were other items that were utilized, and that Mr. Chaske choked her, and ultimately the Crown is not relying on any of those facts, we’re simply relying on the admission Mr. Chaske made.”

Kok said the woman later recanted some of the details in her statement, and it was unclear whether she would have been a co-operative witness if the matter went to trial. The Crown did not request any protective conditions as part of the probation order, which Kok said was specifically being done at the request of the victim.

“It does appear that he’s taken some significant steps in his personal life,” she said, referring to Chaske’s completion of anger management programming. “And I don’t think Mr. Chaske poses the same threat that he initially did.”

Defence lawyer Anthony Dawson said there were serious issues with the woman’s “reluctance” on the matter and whether she would have come to court if there was a trial, which “could have resulted in this matter being completely stayed.”

Given her recantations, he said there was reason to question her credibility if she did testify.

Dawson said his client’s guilty plea should be given a lot of weight and pointed out that on top of anger management programming, Chaske has also been participating in a course focused on building healthy relationships and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

“He is someone that is turning his life around and working on bettering himself,” Dawson said.

He said Chaske described his childhood as fairly decent, but he does have Gladue factors. His parents abused alcohol, and Chaske witnessed a lot of arguing and fighting between them, court heard. However, he said his parents began to get sober as Chaske grew up.

Dawson said Chaske is a contributing member of society, and he didn’t think it would be against society’s interest if he received a conditional discharge with some community service.

Judge Patrick Sullivan said assault against a domestic partner is always aggravating and asked Chaske if he’s reflected on the example he is setting for his two young children.

“They’re going to be looking up to you as a model for what a relationship looks like and what’s normal in a relationship,” he said.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com