The man arrested after a person was slashed with a knife near the downtown Sarnia library has been sentenced to nine months in jail.
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Justice Christine Malott, who recently jailed Judson Brown, 36, said it was of great concern to hear about an unprovoked attack resulting in an injury.
“That is a significant problem in our community,” she said.
Sarnia police said they were called in the afternoon of July 22 for a reported stabbing outside the Christina Street South library location. No one was stabbed that Monday, but one person – Dustin Mitchell, court records say – suffered slash wounds on their arm from a large knife after a fight between two men who knew each other escalated, police said.
The person was treated by paramedics at the scene and the knife and the accused were both found in the area, police said.
The court heard some additional details during Brown’s sentencing. Mitchell and his partner were walking in the area and tried to ignore Brown after being confronted by him. Brown unzipped a backpack he had with him and pulled out a serrated “Rambo”-style knife and lunged at Mitchell, slicing his forearm and causing him to bleed.
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Brown was initially charged with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, breaching bail, and three counts of breaching probation, police said at the time. He recently pleaded guilty only to assault causing bodily harm and one count each of breaching probation and breaching bail and the rest of the charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.
Malott pointed out Brown has several convictions on his two-page criminal record and his behavior has been escalating of late with offenses related to weapons, threats, and now assault causing bodily harm.
“Which is very serious,” she said. “So that is of concern.”
Earlier this year, Brown served four months in jail for stealing from a convenience store while armed with a knife. Initially charged with robbery, Brown pleaded guilty in January to the lesser included offense of theft worth less than $5,000, carrying a knife for a dangerous purpose, and uttering a threat to cause bodily harm linked to an Oct. 30 incident at the Circle K store at the corner of Exmouth and Capel streets.
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He was also previously sentenced to two months in jail for an assault with a weapon conviction in June 2023 after striking a person with a pipe outside Vidal Variety.
Defense lawyer Terry Brandon told the judges in all these cases her client has struggled in recent years with issues linked to his health, drug addiction, homelessness and grievance.
Brown declined a chance to address the court during his latest sentencing.
“No thank you, your honor,” he said.
Mitchell didn’t file a victim-impact statement in court.
Brown got 87 days taken off his sentence for pre-plea custody credit.
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