A Windsor cop convicted of assault has been sentenced to one year of probation.
Const. Kent Rice was found guilty of assault for kicking a man in a stairwell of a Windsor apartment building on Feb. 22, 2012. The incident was recorded by the building security camera.
Justice Donald Downie delivered the sentence in a Windsor court on Wednesday afternoon. The probation will include no contact with the victim, Gladson Chinyangwa, 60 hours of community service and keeping the peace.
The court heard over 130 pages of character references for Rice in the pre-sentencing hearing on Tuesday.
"I am sorry that this has tarnished the reputation of the City of Windsor,” Rice said in his statement in court Tuesday. “I'm sorry this event has cast a shadow on the Windsor Police Service."
Defence lawyer Andrew Bradie asked for Rice to be discharged and take part in community service.
Assistant Crown attorney David Foulds read the victim statement for Chinyangwa, 22, saying he was “mentally and emotionally” scarred for life.
"This incident has impacted my life in many, many ways. I no longer feel safe in the City of Windsor," read Chinyangwa’s statement.
The assistant Crown attorney was looking for a maximum of one day in jail or house arrest or a minimum suspended sentence.
Downie gave the guilty verdict on Aug. 30. Downie told the court he accepts that Rice did not assault Chinyangwa when he pushed him to the ground or hit him, but says two kicks were an assault.
Rice, a 14-year veteran of Windsor police, also faces two counts of discreditable conduct and one count of excessive force under the Police Services Act.
