By Taylor MacPherson

UPDATE: Bong hit lands Ballantyne behind bars

Mar 27, 2017 | 2:00 PM

UPDATE: Ballantyne was given a sentence of 20.5 months in custody for the 2016 assault. In his decision, Justice Gary Meschishnick noted the physical and emotional scars left on the victim and said only a jail sentence was appropriate.

With credit for nearly a year already served on remand, Ballantyne will serve five additional months. Upon his release he will be subject to a year of probation which includes a curfew and a ban from possessing or consuming alcohol. He will also be prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition for 10 years.

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A Prince Albert man who pleaded guilty to smashing a glass bong over a woman’s face will receive his sentence this afternoon.

Carson Nathan Ballantyne, 28, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated assault in connection with an incident dating back to May of 2016. A second charge of assault with a weapon was dropped after his guilty plea.

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Crown Prosecutor Cynthia Alexander said Ballantyne had recently moved out of a shared basement suite, and got into an altercation with his former upstairs neighbour after arriving at the apartment early in the morning and knocking on windows. When the neighbour confronted him outside, Alexander said Ballantyne struck her in the face with a large, glass bong pipe which shattered and caused three large lacerations.

The bong used in the assault was large and made of thick glass and the prosector compared the improvised weapon to a beer bottle.

Alexander said the victim was “bleeding quite badly” when police arrived, and was taken to hospital for treatment. A gash in her chin required more than 20 stitches to close, Alexander said, and she had further cuts around her left eye.

 “She does have a scar on her face as a result of this incident,” Alexander said, noting the victim had also complained of pain when eating and sleeping, as well as damage to her self-esteem resulting from the facial scarring.

The Crown was seeking a sentence of 30 months, along with a 10-year order prohibiting Ballantyne from owning firearms or ammunition. Alexander said Ballantyne had 74 prior convictions on his record, and showed a propensity for violence.

Ballantyne’s defense lawyer Ian Goldberg said he was seeking a sentence of time served followed by an 18-month probation period including alcohol treatment and personal counselling. Ballantyne has already spent 314 days in custody since his arrest which has given him time to change his attitude and feel remorse. Goldberg said his client shows remorse for the attack, and wishes to apologize to the victim.

Despite his record showing four violent offenses, Goldberg noted that two prior assaults occurred when Ballantyne was a youth and described the bong incident as being “out of character for Mr. Ballantyne.”

Goldberg also noted the sociocultural factors outlined in Ballantyne’s presentence report. Ballantyne is a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and a residential school survivor and suffered abuse throughout his childhood which should be considered in his sentencing.

Justice Gary Meschishnick reserved his decision on the matter. Court will reconvene at 4:30 this afternoon.

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews