A 31-year-old woman charged after Sarnia police said a person was hit with a bat during a drug argument at a homeless camp just finished a nine-month jail sentence for assault with a weapon, court records show.
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Officers were called to Rainbow Park Friday to investigate an alleged fight over narcotics, police said. A woman, 45, received minor injuries after being struck multiple times in the body with a bat.
Officers arrested a suspect, who was under three separate probation orders, in the park, police said.
Sunshara Lauzon, 31, is charged with assault with a weapon and four counts of breaching probation, police said. She was granted lease Saturday in Southwestern Ontario’s weekend court in London and returns to court in Sarnia Aug. 20.
Just over a month ago, Lauzon pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, uttering a threat to cause bodily harm, and two counts of breaching probation after threatening her sister with a kitchen knife during a Dec. 23 fight. She was sentenced to nine months in jail, but with pre-plea custody had only 19 days left to serve as of June 17.
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Her prior record caught the eye of the sentencing judge at the time.
“Ms. Lauzon has a criminal record which is abysmal, frankly. She’s been convicted numerous, numerous times of crimes of violence including threats, but also many, many breaches of court order,” Justice Mark Poland said.
A previous assault with a weapon conviction in March 2023 landed Lauzon in jail for six months.
In June 2022, Lauzon also pleaded guilty to mischief worth less than $5,000 and uttering a threat to cause harm in a July 2021 incident. She drew a suspended sentence and one year of probation, the same sentence she received in December 2022 for another mischief conviction.
Defense lawyer Terry Brandon told judges in all those cases her client has struggled with mental health issues, drug addiction and homelessness. But during last month’s court appearance, Brandon noted she looked physically healthier after spending several months in custody.
“She comes before this court much a changed woman. She’s really done a lot of work on herself while she’s been in custody,” she said at the time.
The new charges haven’t been tested in court.
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