BOYLE – A 36-year-old woman ended up with a four-month jail sentence after assaulting another woman in the Village of Boyle and being found with a man’s passport and identity documents.
Candace Lacey Mineault pleaded guilty to possessing stolen identity documents, assault, and breaching a probation order in the Boyle Court of Justice Aug. 27 as part of a joint submission between Crown prosecutor Taylor Noble and defence counsel Robert Gladu.
Mineault was adamant about her decision to plead guilty, which was noted by Gladu.
“She did save the Crown time and the RCMP significant resources by not taking these matters to trial,” he said.
The bulk of Mineault’s sentence came from a Sept. 9, 2023, assault. Mineault assaulted another woman in a house just outside the village, pushing her against a dresser and grabbing her by her hair. After knocking the woman to the floor, Mineault dragged the woman down a hallway and a flight of stairs by her hair. When EMS arrived, the paramedics noted visible bruising across the victim.
A victim impact statement was filed, although the woman chose to have the courts read it instead of doing so herself.
“Her record mostly has property offences, thefts, and frauds. There were no previous entries for violence or assaults,” said Noble. “However, the guilty plea for the assault today is quite serious, and so I suggest denunciation and deterrence are the primary sentencing objectives here.”
Mineault had also been found in possession of a Moroccan national’s passport, Visa card, and other identity identification cards after she was arrested for public intoxication in front of an apartment building in Edmonton on Jan. 2.
Lastly, Mineault pleaded guilty to a breach of an earlier probation. As part of her assault plea, she will have to serve an 18-month probation which includes conditions to avoid the victim and the house the assault took place at.
While she waived her right to a formal Gladue report, Gladu said there were still mitigating factors for her sentencing, including a history of mental health and substance issues.
“We’ve all seen it when someone self-medicates instead of taking their prescribed medication — it can lead to some unfortunate results,” said Gladu.
Justice William Hendsbee accepted the joint submission, noting he was required to do so by higher courts.
“Regardless of whether it’s the sentence I would have imposed, I’m convinced that accepting submission would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute or be contrary to the public interest,” he said.
“I wish you well going forward. I hope you can move forward in a positive way.”
