He added: “So this criminal that’s wanted by the police breaks into this guy’s house. This guy gives him a beating, and this guy gets charged, and the other guy gets charged, but — something is broken.”
Ontario man charged with attacking home intruder with knife acted 'within his rights': lawyer
A Lindsay, Ont., man facing criminal charges for allegedly injuring a home intruder is accused of using a knife in the attack, according to court documents. His lawyer says he was acting within his rights to defend himself.
A charge sheet filed by Kawartha Lakes Police Service on Thursday identifies the tenant in the Kent Street apartment as Jeremy David McDonald, 44.
The court documents say McDonald is charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon after he “did endanger the life” of Michael Kyle Breen, 41, the man identified as the alleged intruder.
The charge sheet alleges that McDonald used a knife.
McDonald’s lawyer told The Canadian Press on Thursday that his client maintains his innocence and “was acting within his rights to defend himself and his property.”
Steven Norton said he can’t discuss the specifics of the case but he is confident that McDonald will be “vindicated” as the matter moves through the justice system.
“This is a traumatic situation. My client was doing what anyone would do if they were in his situation of a home invasion,” he wrote in a statement. “We all have a right to feel safe and secure in our homes, and to protect ourselves, our property and our families.”
Police had earlier reported that they responded in the early hours of Monday morning to a report of an altercation between two males.
“Officers arrived on scene and learned that the resident of the apartment had woke up to find another male (intruder) inside his apartment,” police said. “There was an altercation inside the apartment and the intruder received serious life-threatening injuries as a result of that altercation.”
Police said the intruder was transported to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to a Toronto hospital.
McDonald, 44, was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, and released with a Sept. 25 court date in the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay.
Breen, 41, was already wanted by police for unrelated offences and was charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, break and enter and theft, mischief under $5,000, and failing to comply with probation.
The charges against McDonald drew much attention, with the premier of Ontario weighing in.
“You should be able to protect your family when someone’s going in there to harm your family and your kids,” Doug Ford said at a press conference on Wednesday. ”You should use all resources you possibly can to protect your family.”
Also Wednesday, Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson issued a statement noting that “the negative commentary about the officers and their actions is unjust and inaccurate.”
“It is important to remember that charges are not convictions; they are part of the judicial process, which ensures that all facts are considered fairly in court,” he said.
“ Under Canadian law, individuals have the right to defend themselves and their property,” he continued. “However, it is important to understand that these rights are not unlimited in Canada. The law requires that any defensive action be proportionate to the threat faced. This means that while homeowners do have the right to protect themselves and their property, the use of force must be reasonable given the circumstances.”
National Post, with additional reporting from The Canadian Press
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.