close
close

Semainede4jours

Real-time news, timeless knowledge

Suspect in brutal machete attack was under house arrest at the time
bigrus

Suspect in brutal machete attack was under house arrest at the time

‘Our lawyers can be so strangely naive’

Article content

So much for house arrest. So much for deterrence. So much for a terrible justice system that seems incapable of making things right.

Advertisement 2

Article content

Like the suckers who have a deep feeling that lame Lucky Jim will win the seventh race at Belmont, our lawyers can be strangely naive.

It was the same for 18-year-old Phillipe Gagnon of Haileybury.

Gagnon is accused of the horrific attack on his ex-girlfriend, Kaylie Smith, in Cobalt on Nov. 3. According to the OPP, his audacity to kick her to the curb was not met with the typical sullenness.

No, Gagnon allegedly crashed his car into the 16-year-old and then emerged with a machete and began attacking the frightened girl. In the process, he cut off his left hand and left his arm hanging on a rope.

His family said he is currently in a stable condition and has regained consciousness in a hospital in Ottawa.

Advertisement 3

Article content

Gagnon?

CTV Northern News reported that Kaylie was sentenced to house arrest just five days before she was attacked around 6pm on November 3rd. On October 29, he was convicted of first breaking into a house on May 11 and then attacking a man inside. . The news network reported that a criminal mischief charge for breaking his victim’s glasses was dropped.

And so he appeared before the judge on October 29th. Gagnon was given two 60-day conditional sentences, 18 months probation, a two-year weapons ban, and was ordered to submit his DNA.

But every cloud has a silver lining, and the “onerous” conditions of house arrest allowed him to leave the house every Sunday from 12pm to 4pm to “meet the necessities of life”.

Advertisement 4

Article content

Medical emergencies, work, school, court, church, appointments and treatment or counseling sessions also got the green light.

The judge also ordered Gagnon to receive counseling for anger management and his binge drinking problem.

All those breaks and yet even more pain was on the way when he allegedly attacked Kaylie as she got off the bus. He was captured shortly after the attack.

Gagnon is currently charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, weapon possession, and violating his conditional sentence. Of course, violations are now as common as dirt.

None of the charges from November 3 were reviewed in court.

Once again, the system has thrown the dice for the safety of the people with its stupid ideological shift. And they threw snake eyes.

Advertisement 5

Article content

Not only did Kaylie’s hand suffer a horrific amputation, she also endured 16 hours of brain surgery. His recovery will be long and painful. No child should have to go through this.

For now, Gagnon is being kept under ice at the North Bay Penitentiary, and it looks like the good people of Cobalt and Haileybury want him kept there.

He appeared in court via video on Tuesday, and the case was postponed for two weeks at the request of his lawyer. CTV said the legal eagle is awaiting clarification.

Outside the Haileybury courthouse, dozens of people waved signs demanding “justice for Kaylie.” They want the judge to release Gagnon on bail.

About 500 kilometers south, a violent shootout outside a recording studio in downtown Toronto left a police ghost car fired upon and more than 100 bullets fired. Police confiscated 16 weapons and detained 23 people.

Among those restrained was a young offender with three firearms bans.

So, unfortunately, Phillipe Gagnon’s criminal adventure seems preordained.

Give the dice to the judge.

[email protected]

@HunterTOSun

Article content