Alta. man charged and released twice in one night for violence at northern Ont. hotel

Last weekend, an Alberta man was arrested and released for intimate partner violence at a northern Ontario hotel just hours after being charged and released for assaulting a teen with a weapon at the same location.

Officers responded to the first call around 9 p.m. Jan. 4.

The 49-year-old suspect from Chestermere, Alta., was charged with assaulting and forcibly confining a 14-year-old -- who they didn't know -- at a hotel on Railway Street in Cochrane, Ont.

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Escalated violence

The accused was released with conditions and hours later, around 3 a.m. Jan. 5, police returned to the same hotel with paramedics after a 911 call.

"The investigation revealed that the same accused party had physically assaulted and attempted to suffocate an intimate partner," OPP said.

During the second arrest, the suspect was charged with spousal assault, assault causing bodily harm, forcible confinement and criminal harassment involving threatening conduct.

"Following a bail hearing, the accused was released and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Cochrane on a later date this month," OPP said.

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"Due to the intimate partner nature of the second incident, the name of the accused will not be released to protect the victim's identity."

Bail decisions are made by the courts, not the police.

"In each case, the judge or justice of the peace considers a range of factors, including the specific circumstances of the case, the accused’s background and any risks to public safety," OPP Const. Kyler Brouwer told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an email Thursday afternoon.

"The justice system aims to balance the rights of the accused with the need to protect the community. As this matter is now before the courts, I can’t comment further on the specifics of the decision (to release the accused)."

Help available

"If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help and support are available. You are not alone," OPP said.

"Contact the Cochrane District Victim Services 24-hour crisis line at 1-877-264-4208 for assistance and guidance. In emergencies, call 911 immediately."

• READ: 'It's not as simple as walking away': Crisis worker on why people stay in abusive relationships
• Safety planning strategies and other support services

Agencies that can help:

• Assaulted Women’s Helpline 1-866-863-0511
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline [phone]
• Centre Victoria pour femmes 705-670-2517
• Family Information Liaison Unit 1-844-888-8610
• Ligne FEM-AIDE Provincial 1-877-336-2433
• Manitoulin Family Resources 705-377-5160
• SAVS-Sudbury and Area Victim Services 705-522-6970
• Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre 705-675-1596
• Sudbury Counselling Centre 705-524-9629 x 218
• Sudbury Women’s Ctr (Workshops) 705-673-1916
• Talk 4 Healing 1-855-554-4325
• VIPP - Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (HSN) 705-675-4743
• Voices for Women (Sexual Assault) 705-671-5495
• YWCA Genevra House Abuse Line 705-674-2210 or Toll Free 1-800-461-0133  

No Ontario legislation

Ontario is one of only three provinces and territories in Canada that currently does not have intimate partner violence-specific legislation.

Bill 173, asking the Government of Ontario to recognize intimate partner violence as an epidemic, was referred to the standing committee on justice policy April 10 after it passed a second reading.

• READ: Advocates push Ontario, federal governments for change in dealing with IPV incidents

Cait Alexander, a Canadian model, actress and activist founded a group called Ending Violence Everywhere to combat the rise in the number of intimate partner violence.

"There’s been a 68 per cent increase in intimate partner violence, a 75 per cent increase in sexual assaults in Canada and 278 per cent in femicide," Alexander said.

Ish Van Der Rassel is a North Bay man who is involved with her group that is advocating for legislation to be passed to better protect survivors.

"We don’t need to study more about IPV. It’s time to pass legislation that puts survivors’ rights at the forefront and to ensure defence counsels and judges cannot try to shift focus on the victims instead of questioning the abuser," Van Der Rassel said.

"We need to ensure survivors rights are prioritized over the rights of the abuser and that proper procedures are put in to ensure victims’ safety aren’t at risk or worry of the abuser finding them."

Statistics from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said in 2023, there were more than 123,000 IPV incidents reported to police, primarily by women and gender-diverse individuals.

But what’s striking, is only 30 per cent of Canadians who experience abuse contact the police.

With files from Eric Taschner.