A Halifax Regional Police officer has been sentenced to three months in jail for punching a homeless man outside a shelter last year.
Const. Gary Basso, 39, was sentenced in Halifax provincial court on Friday. He was convicted of assault causing bodily harm in June after he struck Patrice Simard in the face, in the parking lot of the Metro Turning Point on Feb. 25, 2018.
Basso is also prohibited from owning or accessing firearms for 10 years. He and his defence team declined to comment after sentencing.
READ MORE: Sentencing delayed for Halifax cop who assaulted homeless man outside shelter
Simard, who was intoxicated at the time of the assault, suffered a broken nose. The incident was captured on a 17-minute security tape from the shelter.
Basso did not accept responsibility for his actions, saying it was “part of the job,” but Justice Laurie Halfpenny-MacQuarrie said Basso’s lack of acceptance was not a factor in the sentence.
Crown attorney Sylvia Domaradzki says it felt a criminal record was warranted in order to send a proper message.
“If a police officer steps outside of the lines and does not do what they’re there to do — that is serve the public interest and protect the community — there’s going to be repercussions,” said Domaradzki. “I’m glad the court agreed that the repercussion here is jail, criminal record.”
Basso will be serving his time on the weekends, at a jail in Cape Breton and will report to jail on Feb. 7. He will be free during the week.
The sentence comes with the condition of not owning a firearm. Basso’s original sentencing date was delayed last November.
Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella said in a statement sent to Global that HRP respects Friday’s decision related to the sentencing of Cst. Gary Basso.
“We recognize that the conviction of one of our officers for a criminal offence is deeply troubling. Our officers’ conduct is critical to building and maintaining public trust, and we expect our officers to remain above reproach. Cst. Basso has been dismissed from Halifax Regional Police, effective immediately,” said Kinsella.
Domaradzki said it is up to the police board to decide whether Basso remains employed as an officer.
With files from Elizabeth McSheffrey.
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