'Overcome with shame': Man pleads guilty to attacking mom and dad

When the parents of a drug-addicted young man refused to get him some money earlier this year, he attacked his mom and dad.

Nethanial Cormier spit at them, then struck his mother and pulled out a knife, a judge heard Friday.

The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to assault in connection with the April 11 incident that occurred in Johnson Township, east of Sault Ste. Marie.

He also was convicted of a domestic violence assault stemming from an argument with a woman that occurred a month earlier. 

Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a call about a family dispute involving the complainants' son, prosecutor Marie-Eve Talbot said.

Cormier wanted them to go to an ATM in Sault Ste. Marie and take out money for a friend of his, she told Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn.

They refused, he got angry and began threatening them.

Cormier spit across the table, hitting the back of his father's head and did the same to his mother.

Then, with a closed fist, struck the back of her head, and pushed her forward, the assistant Crown attorney said.

He started throwing things around, grabbed a knife out of a drawer and went behind his mother, Talbot said. He eventually put it back in the drawer.

When officers arrived, Cormier resisted arrest and they had to use a taser to get control of him.

Dunn heard the accused was struggling with a drug addiction at the time, and his father indicated "he's getting worse and worse."

At the time, Cormier was serving a conditional sentence (house arrest) and was to live with his parents.

That sentence collapsed because he had breached the conditions and he's been in jail serving that time.

The Crown and defence lawyer Ken Walker jointly recommended he receive a suspended sentence for his latest offences and be placed on probation for 18 months.

Walker said his client acquired a drug addiction five years ago.

Cormier's time in custody has given him a chance to regain his composure, the defence told Dunn.

"He's pledging sobriety" and plans "to follow up with counselling" when he's released.

Cormier's "heart is in the right place" and he may need some supports whether or not he knows that, Walker said.

When she imposed the sentence, Dunn called his limited and dated criminal record, which includes domestic violence offences, an aggravating factor.

His guilty pleas are indicative of remorse, the judge said.

She told Cormier that when he spoke to the court, "I could see you were overcome with shame for what you did to your loving and supportive mother."

With this sentence you can deal with your issues, Dunn told him.

"Give your a mother a gift: a healthy, clean and sober son."

It also will give Cormier, who indicated to the court that he hasn't seen his daughter in two years, an "opportunity to become the real father" she needs, the judge said.

During his probation, he must take any recommended counselling, assessment and rehabilitative programs for mental health and substance abuse issues.

Cormier must not physically interfere with his parents and the other complainant.

Dunn also imposed a 10-year weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample.