Jan 14: Scott Newark, On Case of Convenience Store Clerk Charged With Assault After Foiling Robbery Attempt

National focus this week on a crime incident in Peterborough, Ontario. At a convenience store a 22 year old clerk was helping a customer when a male with a baseball bat entered the store, allegedly demanding cash and striking the clerk with the bat. A fight ensued and the clerk grabbed the baseball bat, chased the would-be robber outside the store and allegedly proceeded to hit the man several times with the bat.
The robber was taken to hospital for treatment while the clerk was treated by EMS at the site. - Police then laid an aggravated assault criminal charge against the 22 year old store clerk.
Response was immediate with hundreds of Peterborough residents and others challenging the police decision saying the clerk had acted in self defence, prompting the Peterborough chief of police to take to 'X' and defend his officers and the laying of the charge.
Again, the question is what is permitted as far as self defence is concerned in Canada with inconsistent court rulings having occurred.
Guest: Scott Newark. Former AB Crown attorney, former Executive Officer of the Canadian Police Association, snr. policy advisor to a federal Minister for Public Safety and Vice Chair of the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime.
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National focus this week on a crime incident in Peterborough, Ontario. At a convenience store a 22 year old clerk was helping a customer when a male with a baseball bat entered the store, allegedly demanding cash and striking the clerk with the bat. A fight ensued and the clerk grabbed the baseball bat, chased the would-be robber outside the store and allegedly proceeded to hit the man several times with the bat.

The robber was taken to hospital for treatment while the clerk was treated by EMS at the site. - Police then laid an aggravated assault criminal charge against the 22 year old store clerk.

Response was immediate with hundreds of Peterborough residents and others challenging the police decision saying the clerk had acted in self defence, prompting the Peterborough chief of police to take to 'X' and defend his officers and the laying of the charge.

Again, the question is what is permitted as far as self defence is concerned in Canada with inconsistent court rulings having occurred.

Guest: Scott Newark. Former AB Crown attorney, former Executive Officer of the Canadian Police Association, snr. policy advisor to a federal Minister for Public Safety and Vice Chair of the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime.

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