Richard Broadbent experienced an epiphany when he was sitting in jail waiting to deal with his latest charges for assaulting police.
"That time in jail opened my eyes," the 48-year-old told Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek before he was sentenced Tuesday to a little more time behind bars. "I'm sorry for my actions."
He pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer, assault with a weapon for threatening an officer with a hatchet, and two counts of failure to attend court.
His first run-in with city police occurred on April 19, 2020 when officers conducted a traffic stop on Korah Road at Douglas Street.
Broadbent was in the rear seat of the vehicle with a woman, who was wanted on a warrant.
When she was advised that she was under arrest, the woman handed her purse to the accused, assistant Crown attorney Blair Hagan said.
An officer tried to retrieve the purse, but Broadbent wouldn't hand it over and told the cop to f— off.
He made a punching motion towards the officer, who struck him to gain control, Hagan said. He also kicked at another officer.
On Nov. 30 of last year, the city's Integrated Municipal Enforcement Team (IMET), which includes city police, was at a Wellington Street West home with municipal bylaw officers.
There were multiple bylaw infractions and safety issues, and police were confronted by Broadbent.
He said if they didn't leave he was going to throw stuff at them and ran back into his apartment.
The accused returned and started tossing things around the yard, Hagan told the court.
When officers tried to calm him down, he ran back inside, and then was at the screen door brandishing a hatchet over his head and threatening officers.
He was yelling "get the hell off my property," the prosecutor said.
A sergeant asked him three times to put the hatchet down and when Broadbent finally did he was arrested.
The Crown called for 120 days jail, followed by 12 months probation.
With credit for his pre-sentence custody, Broadbent would face a further 48 days behind bars.
Broadbent's criminal record includes two prior convictions for assaulting police in 1999 and 2018.
"He has a violent record," Hagan said. "He clearly has issues with police authority."
The officers were trying to do their job and "he reacted violently."
Defence lawyer Don Orazietti proposed a sentence of time served.
He told Kwolek he doesn't take issue in principle about Broadbent's reaction to police.
"The only person who got hurt was my client who got punched in the face," Orazietti said.
"He was jousting and making motions" and "had no actual contact with any police officer," the defence said. "Nobody suffered a scratch or missed a day off work."
His client is a drug addict and missing court is part of a pattern.
"He says jail is best the thing that has happened to him and I believe that," Orazietti said.
The defence, who provided Kwolek with a letter he had received from Broadbent, said he senses "real sincerity."
Broadbent is an iron worker and welder and wants to return to work, Orazietti said.
When he imposed sentence, the judge told Broadbent that "just raising your fist" in a threatening manner as he had during the April incident is an assault.
Coming at an officer with a hatchet also is an assault in law, Kwolek said.
Referring to Broadbent's letter, where the accused said "this may sound stupid but I'm glad I was arrested and in jail," Kwolek told him "you are in a minority."
He noted Broadbent has completed some programs while in custody and wants to better himself.
"It appears you had an epiphany."
Kwolek said he has to learn not to react negatively to police and needs to get control of his anger.
The judge decided Broadbent should spend an additional 18 days behind bars.
With the credit he received for the time he's already spent in custody, the sentence is the equivalent of 90 days.
"You will get out in a short period of time and hopefully you can get on with your life."
Broadbent will be on probation for 12 months with conditions that include taking any recommended assessment and counselling programs for anger management and substance abuse.
He also is prohibited from possessing weapons for five years and must provide a DNA sample.