‘I apologize to everyone,’ Ontario man says at sentencing for throwing gravel at prime minister

The Ontario man who pleaded guilty to throwing gravel at the prime minister will learn his fate next week as the sentencing hearing began on Monday in a London courtroom.

Shane Marshall, 26, of St. Thomas, was originally charged with assault with a weapon in relation to the incident, which occurred on Sept. 6, 2021, as Trudeau was leaving a stop at London Brewing Co-op during the 2021 election campaign. However, Marshall pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault in March 2023.

The Crown is seeking a sentence of 30 days in custody, asking that be followed by a 12-month probation period with directed counselling for the accused, assistant Crown attorney Jeremy Carnegie said in court. Additionally, the Crown is requesting that Marshall have no communication with the prime minister and keep at least 20 metres away from any known residence.

Carnegie said that the Crown is also seeking a DNA order.

“I’m seeking a section 110 weapon prohibition for 10 years and, if custody is imposed. I would be asking for non-communication with Prime Minister Trudeau while in custody,” he stated.

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The defence is pushing for a one-year suspended sentence with the hopes of allowing Marshall to “attend counselling for impulse control and anger management,” said lawyer Luke Reidy of Millars Law, the firm representing Marshall.

Reidy said that the defence is also requesting that the court impose community service hours to “help normalize Mr. Marshall back into society.”

“Help him understand the different views and the different people that he’s going to be around and understand that people can have differing opinions, and that violence is never the answer,” he said.

Alternatively, the defence is also requesting a community sentence order in the term of 60 days.

“In that sentence, we request exceptions for daily exercise and the necessities of life, as well as exceptions for the search of employment,” Reidy said.

In regards to the Crown’s weapons probation order, the defence stated that the 10-year term is “excessive.”

“Mr. Marshall is a hunter, and we suggest that a five-year term should give him the amount of time to change his behaviour and still show that he is redeemable,” Reidy said.

“Shane Marshall is undoubtedly passionate about his country, and he’s very passionate about his politics,” he continued. “Although he holds a minority opinion, without people like Shane Marshall, minority opinions would not be heard. His problem is impulse control and with anger management.”

“I don’t care about Mr. Marshall’s politics. I actually don’t care about Mr. Trudeau’s politics either,” Carnegie said. “The court shouldn’t care about politics. What we’re here for is Mr. Marshall’s actions.”

Following sentencing submissions, Marshall apologized in court.

“I would like to apologize for my actions. It was not my intention to cause a scene or hurt anybody,” he said. “I apologize to everyone.”

Sentencing for Marshall will be held on May 8.