Correctional officer who performed oral surgery on inmate granted absolute discharge

A correctional officer who extracted a central Newfoundland inmate's tooth during oral surgery in October 2020 has been granted an absolute discharge.

Ron McDonald had escorted an inmate to Louis Bourget's dental clinic in Gander for a procedure. While the inmate was sedated,Bourget explainedthe procedure to McDonald and another officer, and then suggestedthey perform the extraction of the four teeth.

McDonald took him up on the offer. He was later charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon; the former charge was dropped, while the latter was downgraded to a single count of assault, to which McDonald pleaded guilty.

At his sentencing inNewfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in Gander on Friday, Justice MelanieDel Rizzo granted McDonald anabsolute discharge on his conviction.

He was also ordered to pay a $200 victim surcharge within 30 days.

In her decision, Del RizzonotedMcDonald did not ask to remove the teeth of inmateBlair Harris but was offered that opportunity by the surgeon.

She went over several items in Harris's victim impact statement, which said he has suffered extremesocial anxiety since the assault, has had to seek counselling and is unable to work.

He was under heavy sedation at thetime of theincident.

McDonald, 47, had been a corrections officer for 10 years. He was fired as a result of the charge and now works in the fishery and as a truck driver.

He had no prior criminal record and was deemed low risk to reoffend, said the judge.

The Crown asked for a 30-day sentence with no probation, but the bench sided with McDonald's counsel, who asked for theabsolute discharge.

Del Rizzo acknowledged McDonald had been in a position of trust and had been given the responsibility of protecting the inmate in his position as a correctional officer.

She also noted McDonald had statements of support as to his good character and has shown remorsefor the incident, with no previous convictions. She also acknowledged the high visibilityof the case in the media was taken into account in her decision.

She said McDonald has "alreadysuffered extreme repercussions" and therefore will not have a criminal record and is not on probation.

During his own sentencing hearing, Bourget said he "got caught up in a teaching moment" but regretted the decision to offer McDonald the chance to extract teeth after the procedure.

Bourgetalso received an absolute discharge in April.

Del Rizzo noted Friday that McDonald has previously asked the court if he can speak to the victim directly to offer an apology, something she said she would consider.

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