Man sentenced to jail for threatening dog

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on April 27, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Coaldale man who faces numerous criminal charges, including aggravated assault, choking with intent, assault with a weapon and threats to cause death or bodily harm, has received a jail sentence for threatening to kill a dog.
Gordon Leslie Nash pleaded guilty Monday in Lethbridge provincial court to one count of uttering a threat to injure or kill an animal, and one count of breaching release conditions. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, but given full credit for time he has already spent in custody, which completes his sentence.
Court was told that on the afternoon of Dec. 31, 2021, Nash, 57, and his girlfriend and her dog were together in his trailer in Coaldale. The woman went for a walk and while she was gone her dog defecated on the floor.
When she returned from her walk, Nash was angry and told her he would kill the dog if it ever did that again.
At the time Nash was bound by a previous release order that he not have any contact or communication with the woman.
Crown Prosecutor Dawn Janecke pointed out Nash has a criminal record for domestic violence involving the same woman, which includes 12 convictions for assault, two convictions for assault causing bodily harm, and five convictions for uttering threats.
“He has received fines, probation and, most recently, periods of incarceration for those convictions,” Janecke said.
Although Nash has effectively served his 60-day sentence with his remand time in custody, Lethbridge lawyer Tracy Hembroff pointed out her client will remain in remand for some time, likely until his other charges are dealt with at trial.
Hembroff said even though Nash was ordered to avoid contact with the woman, they unfortunately “ended up” together in his trailer, despite their long and turbulent history.
“For some reason, he and this gal are like oil and water,” Hembroff said.
Nash also faced a charge of assault but it was withdrawn by the Crown Monday given Nash’s guilty pleas. He is scheduled to return to court today on his other numerous charges.

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