A former employee of a residence for vulnerable people who physically attacked an autistic person received a house sentence and will have to learn to manage his emotions.
• Also read: “The perfect victim”: a former employee of a residence for autistic people pleads guilty to assault
• Also read: Residence for autistic people: an employee accused of assault on a fourth person
In the winter of 2022, Loïc Bertrand-Litalien was sent to the hospital by a worker from his residence which accommodates adults with an intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder.
Claude-Marc Bardier used to perform restraint maneuvers on residents, but he went too far with the adult, now 28 years old. The latter is non-verbal autistic with intellectual disability and severe epilepsy.
Bardier notably already put a knee behind his head, a foot in his face, grabbed his head with a sharp push forward and down, shook his shoulders.
On one occasion, witnesses had to intervene to calm him down.
Loïc Bertrand-Litalien, now 28 years old.
Courtesy (add source)
Loïc was agitated and during a restraint measure by Bardier, he found himself on the ground. The worker tried to pull him by his feet to stabilize him. He then grabbed her by the hair for 15 seconds, lifting her upper body.
They shouted at him to let go of Loïc, but he continued.
Loïc’s eyes were full of water. He had a clump of hair pulled out and then had a bump on his head.
Managing emotions
Bardier was unable to avoid detention, but will be able to serve his 12 months at home rather than behind bars.
-And he will also have to undergo therapy regarding his management of emotions.
He will be prohibited from working in any centers or residences housing vulnerable people or people suffering from mental health disorders.
A report concluded that there was a low risk of recidivism considering that the 63-year-old man no longer works with vulnerable clients.
The award is a joint suggestion between the parties. According to the public prosecutor, this suspended prison sentence should send a “clear message”.
“I think it is important for society to know that stakeholders cannot act badly with voiceless people with complete impunity,” commented the Crown prosecutor in the case, Ms.e Anick Pelletier.
Requested cameras
Loïc’s mother, for her part, reiterated the urgency for the government to install surveillance cameras in these environments.
“My boy is a baby in a big body. Violence against non-verbal and deficient autistic people is encouraged by the fact that they are unable to speak and denounce,” she lamented.
In Laval, a worker who hit an autistic man in the face with a shoe recently received a suspended sentence.
The scene had just been captured by a camera.
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