An Inuvik woman pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer while intoxicated.
In Inuvik Territorial Court Oct. 3, Lucy Ann Thrasher, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a peace officer and causing bodily harm. Judge Robert Gorin sentenced her to one day in custody, satisfied by her appearance in court, put her on six months probation and ordered her to complete 30 hours of community service.
"This is your first conviction for assaulting a police officer, but the other convictions on your record are violence related," said Gorin in his judgment. "Don't blow the opportunity you've been given."
Crown prosecutor Jared Kelly told court police were called to the Inuvik Warming Centre at 7:15 a.m. on Jan. 10, 2020, complaining Thrasher was intoxicated at the centre and picking fights. She had refused to leave the centre when asked.
When police arrived, Kelly told court she began yelling at them while remaining seated on a couch. One of the officers asked her to stand up and put on a jacket and she refused. A second officer then asked her to stand up and she complied, but remained yelling at the first officer and took several minutes to get up and put on her coat.
After exiting the building, Thrasher began walking away, towards Mackenzie Road. The first officer caught up with her, at which point Thrasher say down and began kicking at the officer and keeping her fists clenched in an attempt to not be handcuffed. Police forced Thrasher onto her stomach, but she kept struggling. The first officer made an attempt to handcuff her, but Thrasher dug her nails into the officer's hand, drawing blood.
Eventually, police were able to handcuff her and took her to the detachment.
"The offense of assaulting a police officer is a serious one," said Kelly. "Any further acts of violence would warrant further custody."
Duty counsel Baljindar Rattan said Thrasher was a survivor of the residential school system, having spent time at Grollier Hall, as well as her parents. She noted after her father died 10 years ago Thrasher experienced severe depression, which caused her to drink in this instance.
"When she's sober, there's no question that she respects the police," said Rattan, who added Thrasher normally spent her time assisting Elders with cooking, cleaning and other chores.