Nova Scotia

Tara Gault charged with assaulting Andrew Younger

Police have charged the former Liberal staffer accused of attacking cabinet minister Andrew Younger.

Attack allegedly took place on day Liberals took power from NDP

Andrew Younger has stepped back from his ministerial duties. (CBC)

Police have charged the former Liberal staffer accused of attacking cabinet minister Andrew Younger.

Tara Gault, 28, is scheduled to appear in provincial court on Jan. 28 to answer to a charge of assault.

Gault has been ordered to stay away from Younger, his wife Katia and a former constituency assistant Sarah Douglas, who also worked on his election campaign in 2013.

According to the court papers the alleged assault took place in Halifax on Oct. 22, 2013, the day the Liberals officially took power from the NDP in Nova Scotia. 

Younger and other members of Stephen McNeil’s cabinet were sworn in at a ceremony in Annapolis Royal that morning.

Tara Gault will appear in court again on Jan. 28. (LinkedIn)

The document doesn’t say at what time the incident happened.

Younger is currently on a temporary, but indefinite, leave from his cabinet post. 

The premier’s office says he requested and was granted that leave on Dec. 23.

He had been getting his full salary, but earlier this week the premier stripped him of the $50,000 cabinet top-up.

Cabinet colleague Michel Samson has taken over responsibility for Younger’s portfolios.

He is now minister of energy, Communications Nova Scotia, and for economic development.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jean Laroche

Reporter

Jean Laroche has been a CBC reporter since 1987. He's been covering Nova Scotia politics since 1995 and has been at Province House longer than any sitting member.