SAGUENAY, Que. – The son of former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy pleaded guilty Wednesday to an assault charge, after months of legal limbo, and received an unconditional discharge.
Jonathan Roy, then a goalie for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was charged after pounding rival goalie Bobby Nadeau during a nasty hockey brawl in March 2008.
Roy, 20, was set to stand trial Wednesday at the Chicoutimi, Que., courthouse, some 200 kilometres north of Quebec City. His famous father, Patrick Roy, was standing by his side when he pleaded guilty.
A Quebec judge gave him an unconditional discharge, so the young Roy won’t have a criminal record.
The judge followed the sentence recommendation from the defence and the Crown so Roy – who has since left the team to pursue a music career – could travel to the United States and continue recording music.
In court on Wednesday, Roy apologized for the attack on Nadeau, for giving the crowd a rude gesture and for some post-game comments.
"I really regret what happened. I’m really disappointed in myself," he said. "What I did was a total lack of judgment."
The video of the incident shocked many Canadians and prompted a national debate on hockey violence.
The defence tried to have the case dismissed, arguing Roy was the victim of procedural abuse and targeted by the Crown because of his famous family name.
He was charged with assault four months after the fight, and only a few days after the Crown prosecutor changed the rules on the laying of charges in hockey brawls.
But a Quebec Court judge dismissed the request and ruled the Crown prosecutor had the discretionary power to lay charges.
Roy was suspended for seven games after the incident. His father Patrick was suspended for five games because the league ruled he encouraged the fight.
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