Court order fails to prevent 3rd assault of woman

A vicious New Year's Day assault in Labrador shows court orders are often useless in protecting complainants, a women's rights activist claims.

A Sheshatshiu man appeared in provincial court Monday on a charge of aggravated assault, after his girlfriend, 19, was found beaten on Jan. 1.

RCMP said it is the third time Neil Andrew, 20, has been charged with assaulting the woman since September.

The woman's hand was broken during the first incident. After he was released on conditions, Andrew was charged again.

Although he spent a night in jail, a judge released him on stricter conditions. Andrew was ordered to stay away from his girlfriend, consume no alcohol, live with his grandparents and obey a nightly curfew.

Leslie MacLeod, president of Newfoundland and Labrador's Advisory Council on the Status of Women, said the court orders are not worth the paper they're written on.

"Eight days later, [a second] assault takes place — that should be a huge alarm to the system and to the court that someone's life may be in danger," MacLeod said.

The woman, also a resident of Sheshatshiu, is being treated in hospital for injuries. She is expected to recover.

After a brief appearance on Monday in provincial court in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Andrew was remanded to jail until a court appearance in late January.