A woman was given a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to assaulting a peace officer on April 5, 2019 in downtown Nanaimo. An upset woman punched an RCMP officer in the face. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Police assault

Woman who punched Nanaimo mountie in face poised to escape criminal record

Aug 11, 2020 | 5:34 AM

NANAIMO — A woman pleaded guilty to punching a Nanaimo RCMP officer after police took issue with people drinking in public in the city’s downtown.

On Monday, Aug 10 Lauren Marie Brindisi, 20, was convicted for assaulting a peace officer and was handed a conditional discharge and 12 months probation.

An agreed statement of facts heard Brindisi punched the corporal in response to his effort to arrest a friend of hers for a separate alleged assault on April 5, 2019 at about 11:30 p.m.

Court was told tempers flared when another mountie attempted to ticket two men holding beer as they walked off the bus with more than 30 others on board.

“Miss Brindisi came up behind and punched the corporal in his mouth, there was no time for the corporal to react,” the Crown’s Joanna Simpson told court.

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The party-goers grabbed his body armour and the officer pushed them off of him before the punch.

People began filming the incident and were heard saying “get the police.”

Brindisi, smelling strongly of liquor, continued yelling and pulling away while being hand-cuffed.

The officer had a cut lip.

Brindisi was released from custody the next day.

Court was told she was on probation at the time for a previous offence, which had a condition to not possess or consume alcohol.

Defence lawyer Lou Schelling said his client has been sober since April of last year and received alcohol addiction treatment.

A character reference letter for Brindisi stated she has committed to a substance-free existence, is employed, volunteers and starts post secondary school this year.

Judge Brian Harvey told court this incident is another example of the difficult job police have.

“I’m grateful to read and see that you’ve been making positive steps towards becoming a better person in our society,” Judge Harvey told Brindisi.

Judge Harvey accepted a joint submission presented by Crown and defence.

Brindisi won’t have a criminal record if she abides by her probationary conditions for the next year, which includes not possessing or consuming alcohol.

She elected to attend the sentencing hearing via teleconference in provincial court in Nanaimo.

Ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes