Kingston man who violently assaulted ex-partner found guilty on 9 counts

A Kingston, Ont., man has been found guilty ofnine chargesincluding assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon and uttering death threatsin connection with incidents involving his former partner.

Paul John MacDonaldappeared in Kingston's Ontario Court of Justice Wednesday afternoon.

The 47-year-old was wearing a white T-shirt and had a pair of glasses perched on top of his head, which was shaved bald.

The majority of his charges were connected to aSept.4, 2021 altercation involving his former partner, Sabrina L'Heureux.

Court had previously heardL'Heureux testify that MacDonald hit her repeatedlythat day and left her with cuts to her arm and calf. She sprayed him with pepper spray and eventually managed to escape.

L'Heureuxpreviously told CBCthe incident left her scarred and that, before his arrest in 2022, she'd spent a year fearing for her safety and that of her child.

MacDonald was found guilty of assault, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, possession of a knife for a dangerous purpose,uttering a death threat and stealing L'Heureux's cellphonein connection with the incident.

He was also convicted ofthreatening to use a weapon during an assaultand uttering a death threat in connection with another incident inMarch 2020.

The final count MacDonaldwas found guilty of was for harassing L'Heureux betweenthe two incidents, causing her to fear for her personal safety then as well.

Testimony 'stretches credulity'

Court was told Wednesday that the evidence of the harassment included a series expletive-ladentexts, including messages where he threatened to have someone crack her head open or cut her head off.

Justice Larry O'BriensaidMacDonald's lawyer told the court he and a friend had won $1 million from the lottery in 2020 and an argument over money may have led to one of the clashes a suggestion L'Heureuxdenied.

The judge said while hefound her testimony reliable, MacDonaldwas "economical with the truth" and his version of events"stretches credulity."

O'Brien specifically described McDonald's statement that a knife involved in the September incident fell from his pocket and ended up in L'Heureux's hand as "fanciful," adding he believed the Crown had disproved self-defence beyond a reasonable doubt.

Lawyers in the case are set to meet on March 27 to set a date for sentencing.