PARRY SOUND - A 30-year-old Shawanaga First Nation woman was given house arrest in the assault of a former partner.
Levone Pawis was charged with assault on February 9. The court heard that she was seen pushing her former partner on several occasions and that the two were either horsing around or in a physical altercation when her child was knocked unconscious. At this point, the Crown told the court, Pawis assaulted the man.
Pawis’ defense lawyer told the court that her client fully admitted to the assault, which she has a past convictions for, but that it was a “knee-jerk” reaction to her child’s injury.
“I ask your honour to consider a discharge (of the conviction), with this situation being different than her other convictions,” said the defense counsel.
The Crown pushed against the request, saying that while the assault could be described as a mother’s reaction to defend her child, “it’s important to remember she’s pushing him earlier in the evening.”
The Crown asked the judge to impose a sentence of one to two months of house arrest.
“The Crown is right, assaults of a domestic matter, no matter what the cause, are matters of great importance around here,” said the judge, adding that people need to know how seriously the court takes domestic assault through the consequences, but that she didn’t need to go to jail in this case.
Pawis was sentenced to 60 days house arrest, with a curfew requiring she be home between 8 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., plus 12 months probation.