Southern Alberta man sentenced for unlawful confinement and assault of former girlfriend

Gordon Leslie Nash pleaded guilty in Lethbridge court on Thursday to a number of domestic assault-related charges involving his former girlfriend.

In a joint submission by the Crown and defence, court heard police were called a woman’s home in April 2019 after her landlord heard a disturbance and notified police. Nash had badly beaten his girlfriend and was attested and charged, according to the submission.

Just days later, the court heard Nash breached a no-contact order to stay away from the woman. He took her to an RV he had parked in a neighbouring town where he held her against her will. She was badly beaten and kicked while Nash was wearing steel-toed boots.

Nash told her he was angry he had been arrested for the previous assault against her and that he would kill her, according to the submission.

Judge G.S. Maxwell was given photos of the woman’s injuries to review on Thursday, which he said showed the severity of the beating she endured.

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Nash, 54, has a lengthy criminal record with several domestic assault convictions involving three different former partners. He was originally facing a number of charges including kidnapping and assault causing bodily harm in relation to the incident. He pleaded guilty to lesser charges including unlawful confinement, assault and uttering threats.

Bill Kaye with the Domestic Violence Action Team said it’s not uncommon for abusers to repeat those types of offences.

“Because it’s a power and control issue, offenders really need some treatment to change. To be left to change on their own is probably not going to happen.”

Kaye said hopes the government will move forward with a plan to protect potential domestic violence victims from repeat offenders.

“The government here made a promise during the last election about a law that’s going to allow police to actually warn people about domestic violence offenders as they enter into new relationships, that sort of thing — having to disclose that person’s past — they are not able to now.”

Nash was sentenced to 16 months in custody and 12 months probation. With credit for time served, he has nine months left to serve in jail.

He is scheduled to appear back in court on Sept. 20 on four new charges relating to the same matters, including intimidation of a justice system participant.