A Princeton man who pleaded guilty to assaulting another resident and throwing an ax through his door received a 12-month suspended sentence in Princeton court Thursday.
Shaun Lind was also ordered to pay the victim $2,000 in restitution for damage to his property.
The court heard that on June 2, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. Lind drove to the victim’s home, wrestled him to the ground and hit him.
He then broke the victim’s windows and door.
The incident was witnessed by the victim’s 14-year-old son.
Lind – who was not represented by counsel - said he took those actions because he believed the victim was having an inappropriate relationship with his wife.
Judge Ellen Burdett said if wasn’t for Lind’s lack of criminal record, the fact that he pleaded guilty at his first appearance and had a positive pre-sentence report, he might have faced jail time.
Burdett called Lind’s behaviour “unacceptable” and “outrageous” and said the crime was made more serious because the assault was committed at the victim’s home, and it exposed a young person to violence.
“It is not something you would expect from someone like you, who is a law abiding citizen,” she said.
“You go to counseling, you separate, you don’t go beat up someone who you think is sleeping with your wife.”
Lind told the court he regretted the assault. “I did the wrong thing…it is not something that would happen again.”