“I was stressed, I was afraid of seeing him again. I almost didn’t come. Now that’s a relief. I buried it, and I tried not to think about it too much, but we have no choice. It was important to be here for me,” commented one of the victims after the hearing.
According to the summary of the facts presented to the court, Richard Gauthier admitted to having exploded with anger after seeing that Isabelle* was chatting with her ex-partner on her phone.
The accused also allegedly called the ex-spouse by mistake, so much so that the latter witnessed the argument that followed for around ten minutes. This is where the accused allegedly grabbed the complainant by the hair and insulted her.
“While holding her back, he cut her hair with scissors,” said the Crown prosecutor, Me Éric Thériault.
The victim who had very long hair ended up with short hair. The story also caused a stir on social networks.
The victim’s hair which was cut. (COURTESY/COURTESY)
The accused then allegedly decided to “check” if the victim was having her period. Shortly after, he allegedly called a member of Isabelle*’s family to tell her that she “was in crisis.”
“I cut my hair there. I lost my temper,” Richard Gauthier allegedly declared to a witness.
With Isabelle*’s tablet, the fifty-year-old would have transmitted intimate photos of her to himself and to the victim.
In another case, the prosecution revealed that the accused, among other things, exerted pressure on Josée’s neck. He allegedly forced two antidepressants into her mouth, which she managed to spit out. In the previous months, the accused allegedly broke a window and cut his hand. He allegedly smeared his blood on the victim’s face according to the summary of facts filed in court.
The defense, for its part, admitted certain facts which, in its opinion, allow the Crown to discharge its burden of proof.
Three events allegedly occurred in the context of arguments under the influence of alcohol. The accused admits to having closed the bedroom door, without knowing it, on the victim’s fingers, to having pushed her down the stairs of the basement and to having put out a cigarette in her hand.
“I am not a victim, I am a survivor […] He’s a dangerous guy,” stressed Josée* in an interview with The News writer. She was also relieved not to have to testify in a trial.
-Sophie* for her part had filed a complaint after hearing about the story in the media. Richard Gauthier pleaded guilty to this case as well.
“It’s a great relief today to hear him acknowledge his guilt […] We wanted to see it to believe it,” she stressed as she left the court.
The accused admitted to having, among other things, thrown a lamp in the direction of the victim and to having hit her on the forehead during a dispute. At another time, he threw bottles in the direction of Sophie* and hit her in the feet.
During other events, Richard Gauthier allegedly tore the victim’s clothes following a fit of jealousy and, in particular, threw a handful of coins in his face.
Remember that the man in his fifties was found guilty of assault and mischief last September in another case of domestic violence.
Judge Simon Ricard had completely rejected the “untruthful, implausible and absolutely not credible” testimony of Richard Gauthier.
The complainant who testified during the trial was also present at the courthouse on Monday.
“I couldn’t be absent today. Just hearing him say “guilty” is a great satisfaction for me. After all the pain, suffering and difficulties he put me through, in the end today I am sending him the message that I am stronger than him. For once it’s me who is the big winner,” she said as she left the audience.
Richard Gauthier will be back in court in March. A pre-sentence report, which serves to inform the court on the appropriate sentence to impose on the offender, will be drawn up by this date.
*Fictitious names to protect the identity of victims
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