The woman alleged to have posed as a fake nurse to treat patients in Ontario and Vancouver made an apology to her victims at her sentencing hearing in an Ottawa courtroom on Wednesday.
Brigitte Cleroux of Gatineau, Que., remains in custody in Ottawa, after pleading guilty to seven charges relating to her time in that province.
She appeared in person Wednesday wearing a black shirt and mask.
When the judge asked if she had anything to say, she said “truly, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”
In mid-January, she entered guilty pleas on two counts of assault with a weapon and several counts of collecting money under false pretense with an intent to defraud.
The assault charges relate to Cleroux’s use of needles to treat patients. The identity of the victims is protected by a publication ban.
The Crown is seeking consecutive sentences totalling 10 years but her defence team is arguing that four to five years would be more appropriate.
“This is not a violent offence,” Ronald Guertin, her defence lawyer said.
“She had no intention of hurting anybody. She was putting intravenous in people.
“We give 10 years for manslaughter. People die.”
During her last appearance, the court heard that Cleroux had used the identity of a real B.C. nurse and a fraudulent resume impersonating someone else to gain employment.
In B.C. there is an ongoing class action for patients who alleged to have been treated by Cleroux at B.C. Women’s Hospital.
“This is someone with a pattern of behaviour,” Morgyn Chandler with Hammerco Lawyers said. “So while the outcome of criminal proceedings in Ottawa, for example, is not going to play a significant role, certainly her conduct in other jurisdictions is relevant to her conduct here.”
The Ontario charges relate to accusations that Cleroux fraudulently worked as a nurse at multiple health-care businesses, including a fertility clinic, a long-term care home and a dental clinic between February and August of 2021.
While working as a fake nurse, she administered medications, including injections, to patients, according to Ottawa police.
She had originally been charged in Ontario with criminal negligence causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, obtaining by false pretense, uttering forged documents and personation to gain advantage.
Meanwhile, Cleroux faces charges in B.C. of fraud over $5,000 and personation to gain advantage, and she remains the subject of multiple active Vancouver police investigations.
Police allege she worked for a year at BC Women’s Hospital, between June 2020 and June 2021, while falsely using the identity of a real nurse.
It remains unclear how many patients Cleroux worked on in Vancouver, what her duties were or whether there were adverse outcomes relating to her work.
In Ontario, a sentencing decision is expected to be handed down on April 22.
-with files from John Hua.