A Kamloops man who broke his ex-girlfriend’s nose while holding her against her will has been ordered to spend 16 months in prison.
Zachariah Desmond Dubois, 45, pleaded guilty Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to one count each of assault causing bodily harm and unlawful confinement.
Court heard Dubois and his ex were hanging out on the evening of Sept. 24. At some point, she said she wanted to leave and he stopped her, grabbing her arm.
“Basically he said she’s still his sexually and she needed to give it up to him,” Crown prosecutor Evan Goulet said in court.
“He said if she didn’t, he would rape her."
A few hours later, Dubois attacked the woman in a vehicle. Goulet said the woman told police she believed Dubois hit her in the face with his cellphone.
“She could hear her nose break — she heard a snap,” he said. “She was in a lot of pain and there was blood pouring out of her nose. Mr. Dubois threatened to kill her.”
Goulet said Dubois eventually let the woman leave.
Defence lawyer Jeff Maxwell said Dubois had a difficult upbringing, which has translated into a difficult adult life. He has 53 convictions on his criminal record, including nine for violent offences and three for prior domestic violence.
Kamloops provincial court Judge Roy Dickey sentenced Dubois to 14 months in prison, to be followed by a nine-month probation order with conditions intended to keep him away from the victim. He was also ordered to submit a sample of his DNA to a national criminal database.
Once he has been given credit for time served, Dubois will have a little more than 13 months remaining on his sentence.
