A man with a long criminal history was sentenced Thursday, Jan. 11, in Princeton circuit court after pleading guilty to two counts of assault related to drug acquisition.
Rodney Saddleman, 38, was sentenced to 105 days in jail, although that period is accounted for by time served.
Saddleman appeared via video conference from a room at Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC), where he is awaiting trial on a separate matter. He remains in custody.
Court heard that on Jan. 9, 2023, Saddleman woke up in the middle of the night and told his partner to go buy drugs.
When the woman refused, he head-butted her, hit her in the face with his fist, and struck her on the arm with a stick. He then put his hands around her neck and choked her.
On Feb. 7, 2023, while in another dispute over the sale of drugs, he struck a different woman who was coming to the defence of a mutual acquaintance.
The woman was hit in the face. In a victim impact statement, she reported not being able to eat solid food for a month and that “Rodney broke my heart.”
Judge Lynette Jung called the crimes “really, really, serious…You don’t go around punching people in the face and strangling women.”
She said she was particularly concerned about the assault that occurred in bed.
“Intimate partner violence is really, really dangerous…When you are in a relationship with a woman she deserves to, she is required to, be safe. I really want you to think about that.”
The court was told Saddleman, who is Indigenous, was physically abused as a child and suffers from depression and addiction.
He is part of an OCC program that assists First Nations people with wellness and said he participates in smudging.
“We have to make sure that you get all the help you need,” said Jung.
“I want you to get to a place where you can be healthy…
“We really need you to fight for yourself.”
Saddleman was also given probation conditions that will take effect upon his release. Additionally, he also ordered to provide a DNA sample.
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