A Saddle Lake man found passed out in a ditch has now found himself a place to sleep behind bars.
For 75 days Mason Lindsay Moses will remain at the Edmonton Remand Centre, after pleading guilty to assault and two counts of failing to comply with an undertaking.
On Tuesday, May 1, Moses appeared in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse via CCTV, where he accepted fault for assaulting his common-law spouse and breaking the rules of his release.
It was March 20 when Saddle Lake RCMP were called regarding a domestic assault that had occurred the night before.
Moses' spouse answered the door to responding officers. She had bruises on her arms and described how Moses had thrown her on the ground and pulled her hair the previous night.
He was arrested and released on a promise to appear and an undertaking. Under one of his release conditions, Moses was to refrain from consuming alcohol, but it wasn't long before the Bonnyville RCMP received a call that a man was intoxicated in the ditch of a rural road.
An officer located Moses and confirmed the 46-year-old was intoxicated and in breach of his undertaking.
On April 24, Moses' common-law spouse once again called RCMP. This time, Moses was at their Saddle Lake residence, even though his undertaking didn't allow him in the home.
RCMP found Moses asleep in his bed and arrested him.
Crown prosecutor Jordan Kerr asked Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams to sentence Moses to 75 days in custody for all of his charges, and a one-year probation.
According to Stephanie Oleksyn, acting as duty counsel for Moses, he and his common-law spouse have been in a relationship for 20 years. Together, they have five children.
Oleksyn felt probation was simply setting him up for failure.
"I think he is going to struggle to comply," she expressed.
As of his sentencing, Moses had spent one week, or 11 enhanced days, in custody.
He described his time at the Edmonton Remand Centre as "the worst days of my life."
"I've been in jail before, but this is the worst of it," said Moses.
Williams agreed with Oleksyn when it came to including probation in Moses' sentence.
Moses will spend 75 days in custody in relation to these charges, and will not be serving probation once released.
