A 25-year-old man almost spent time behind bars, after pleading guilty to spitting at a police officer.
Joseph Robert Alexis appeared in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse on Tuesday, July 17 where he pled guilty to assaulting a peace officer.
On May 2, at around 1:43 a.m., local RCMP responded to a call regarding an intoxicated male lying in the middle of the highway.
Police located Alexis on Hwy. 28, near Range Rd. 450.
They arrested him for mischief and put him in the back of the police vehicle.
On the way to the detachment, Alexis began kicking the partition.
The officer pulled over the stop him, when Alexis tried to spit in his face.
"Spitting, although seen as less violent it has a great risk of communicating diseases," expressed Crown prosecutor Terry Mazeroll.
The Crown was seeking jail time and a DNA order, however Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams didn't agree it was fitting.
'That's absolutely inappropriate. Spitting is an offensive type of assault," she noted. "That type of conduct is not acceptable."
As a result, Williams sentenced Alexis to 12 months probation. He will be required to write a letter of apology to the officer.
"You have to be sincere," Williams said.
Alexis will also complete 20 hours of community service as part of his probation.
