Crown argues Trudeau gravel-thrower deserves jail time, defence says he’s remorseful

A prosecutor has asked an Ontario court for jail time for the man who threw stones at Justin Trudeau during a 2021 election stop, arguing his actions were not just an assault on a candidate, but an assault on democracy.

The defence lawyer for 26-year-old Shane Marshall, meanwhile, says his client’s impulse and anger management issues got the better of him when he tossed gravel at the prime minister during the protest-interrupted event in London, Ont.

Marshall pleaded guilty to common assault in March and is set to be sentenced next week after lawyers made their submissions before a provincial court justice today in London.

Crown attorney Jeremy Carnegie argued for a sentence of 30 days in jail, arguing that with “vitriol” and “hatred” in political discourse bringing Canada “closer and closer to violence all the time,” the court needed to impose a sentence strong enough to deter others from taking similar actions.

Defence lawyer Luke Reidy says Marshall, from nearby St. Thomas, Ont., is remorseful and should be given a one-year suspended sentence with mandatory community service.
Marshall briefly addressed the court and apologized, saying he never intended “to cause a scene or hurt anyone.”