Nurse practitioner assaulted by Base Gagetown soldier tells court she is still suffering 

A soldier who assaulted a nurse practitioner at Base Gagetown's medical centre last year has been remanded in custody until sentencing next week.

Master Cpl. Nicholas Paulsen pleaded guilty earlier to forcible confinement, assault with a weapon and mischief causing property damage.

At a sentencing hearing Friday, Crown prosecutor Patricia Gillet read a statement of facts that detailed what happened when Paulsen went to the clinic on March 12, 2024.

Paulsen, who did not have an appointment, walked into nurse practitioner Dawn LeBlanc's office, closed the door behind him and pulled out a knife, the statement said.

LeBlanc screamed for help and tried to get away, but Paulsen blocked the door.

Three people were eventually able to open the door, and LeBlanc was able to run into another office and press a code white panic button, the court heard.

Paulsen proceeded to stab the wall with his knife until someone removed it from his hand. He was later taken away by military police.

The court heard how the attack stemmed from a previous appointment Paulsen had with LeBlanc, when she questioned why he was unable to work and said there was no diagnosis for what he was describing.

Paulsen became frustrated and told her she was "f--king useless" before storming out of the office, slamming doors behind him.

Two weeks later, on March 12, Paulsen said, he got a phone call about that meeting, telling him he was under a unit disciplinary investigation. That's when he drove to the clinic to see LeBlanc again.

In a statement to police, he said he had just wanted to threaten her and make her understand what it was like to feel  helpless.  

In an emotional victim impact statement Friday, LeBlanc said that since the attack 10 months ago, she has suffered insomnia, nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, flashbacks and irritability.

She said she now avoids crowds and does most of her shopping online. When she is in a busy place, she constantly scans the crowd for threats.

The impact has also been felt by her wife and two children, who have seen the change in her since the assault. Her wife has taken time off work to support her, and LeBlanc has had to reduce her workload and take on a different role at  reduced pay.

LeBlanc said she has been fearful Paulsen will attack her again — or her children — especially after the sentence is handed down.

Provincial court Judge Natalie LeBlanc ordered that Paulsen  be remanded in custody until his sentencing on Jan. 31.

A woman who had accompanied Paulsen to court was escorted out after screaming about the judge's decision to put him in custody and then at the victim and her supporters.