Dylan Daigle's repeated thefts from local convenience stores last year were bad enough.
But his Oct. 10 "disgusting" assault on a woman really didn't sit well with a judge when he pleaded guilty Thursday to numerous charges in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom.
The court heard that Daigle spit at the woman, with it hitting her in the face and mouth during a dispute at an apartment building.
"Is that something you normally do to a woman?" Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn asked the 29-year-old man.
"Are you embarrassed?"
Daigle responded he was "under the the influence" of drugs and that's "totally not me."
In addition to the assault, he was also convicted of four counts of theft stemming from his visits to Circle K stores.
As well, he chalked up convictions for breaching probation by going to the stores on two occasions and missing a court date on Oct. 28.
The first theft occurred shortly after 11 p.m on July 14 at the Circle K located at 849 Second Line East.
Daigle and a woman loaded up with $130 worth of merchandise and left without paying for the items, prosecutor Blair Hagan said.
He was known to police and officers identified him when they reviewed the store's surveillance video.
On Nov. 21, Daigle returned to the same variety store at around the same time, with a grocery bag that he filled with $163 worth of items.
He then left without paying for his purloined products.
Less than a month later, a man was at the store, shortly before 10 a.m. on Dec. 13, who stole stuff valued at $84.
Daigle, who was wanted at the time for theft, was identified as the perpetrator.
He continued his petty thievery into the new year, stealing $38 worth of items from the Circle K store, located at 381 McNabb St., on Jan. 5.
Daigle was supposed to stay away from that business too.
The Crown and defence lawyer Ken Walker proposed a 130-day jail sentence, less credit for the time he's spent in custody since his arrest, plus 12 months probation.
Hagan described his criminal record, which includes 48 convictions for theft and 24 for other property offences, as well as one for armed robbery, as "most aggravating."
The accused showed a blatant disregard for court orders, she said.
Hopefully, this probation will keep him away from the businesses he repeatedly victimized.
Walker said his client has made arrangements to attend a three-month treatment program in Windsor on April 7.
This resolution of these matters "will have him out (of jail)" in time to attend the recovery home.
Daigle told the judge his child is the reason he wants to get off drugs and not re-offend.
The Garden River First Nation man said while in custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre he's been taking cultural programs and wants to continue doing so.
Dunn said she's happy that he has plan and a motivation to remain sober when he is released, indicating rehabilitation is a factor in this sentence.
With the enhanced credit Daigle received for his time in custody since his arrest – the equivalent of 90 days – he faces a further 40 days behind bars.
During his 12-month probation he must take any recommended assessments, counselling and rehabilitative programs.
He must stay away from the two Circle K stores.
As well, Daigle can have no contact with the woman he assaulted and must remain 50 metres away from her.
Dunn made one exception to this condition to allow him to write a letter of apology to the victim, and deliver it to his probation officer who can send it to her.
The judge also imposed a 10-year weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample for the national database.