Richard Hazzard’s repeated calls to police last summer created a risky situation.
He contacted the cops 42 times during a 12-day period in July to complain about people trespassing on his Base Line property.
Officers went there several times but found no evidence to support his allegations, Ontario Court Justice John Condon heard.
Hazzard often told the officers he had been drinking.
The 50-year-old pleaded guilty Monday to harassing the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service between July 9 and July 20.
During that time, the cops or EMS responded to 26 separate calls from Hazzard.
“He misled officers, having them attend when no offences happened,” said prosecutor Stuart Woods.
Hazzrad made a further call, shortly after 3:35 a.m. on Aug.13, complaining about people in his yard with four-wheelers.
A dispatcher could hear a woman in the background saying he had hit her in the head.
Officers were dispatched to his home, where after repeated knocks on the door and callouts, they entered the premises because of exigent circumstances, the Crown said.
They found a woman with a black eye and bruising on her arm.
The victim said Hazzard had struck her in the face multiple times and grabbed her arm.
Condon heard there also was an allegation that the accused had slapped her on the side of the head the following day.
Hazzard pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman on Aug. 11 to 12 and a further count of breaching an undertaking by communicating with her on Sept. 3.
Police went to his home for a welfare check after a bystander reported seeing a woman being assaulted.
Officers found the woman inside Hazzard's residence but she didn't appear to be injured and wouldn't assist in the investigation, Woods said.
Defence lawyer Eric McCooeye told the court that the woman had just shown up on his client's doorstep that day.
The lawyers jointly recommended that Hazzard receive a conditional discharge and be placed on probation for two years.
Wood described the number of nuisance calls and the resources spent on responding to them as aggravating factors.
Hazzard acknowledges he was drinking at the time and was in an upset condition when he made the harassing calls, McCooeye said.
He suggested that perhaps counselling for alcohol should be part of the sentence.
This was "truly a dangerous situation," Condon said, noting there were 26 times "where resources were not available for legitimate purposes."
These calls are a serious matter that "could not only have jeopardized police" but put officers and others in danger since they often respond to calls at fast speeds.
During his probation, Hazzard can't contact 911 unless he has a valid emergency.
He must not communicate with the woman and must remain 50 metres away from her.
As well, he is not to possess any weapons and must take any recommended counselling.
Hazzard spent five days in jail following his arrest. That time, which is the equivalent of eight days with the enhanced credit of 1.5 days for each one spent in custody, was allotted to the offences involving the woman.
Condon also imposed a 10-year weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample for the national registry.