Suspended senator Patrick Brazeau is facing new charges after he was arrested in an alleged case of domestic violence in Gatineau, Que., on Thursday morning.
Brazeau is charged with two counts of assault, uttering threats, possession of cocaine and failing to comply with a court order to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. He was led into a Gatineau courthouse in handcuffs before a court appearance in the morning.
Brazeau, 39, was taken into custody at about 4 a.m., when officers were called to the residence he shares with his girlfriend, said CTV News Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife.
When officers responded to a 911 call from the Labrosse Boulevard home, they encountered a man and a woman who were involved in a physical confrontation on the porch. Police say the woman was assaulted by the man.
A second man, described as the woman’s friend, was inside the home and he claimed he was threatened and assaulted by the man who was on the porch.
Officers arrested and searched the man on the porch. Police say they found a small amount of a white powder that appeared to be cocaine. The substance is being tested to confirm its nature.
The man told police he was assaulted by the 50-year-old man who was inside the residence. The 50-year-old man is facing an assault charge and will appear in court in a few weeks, police said.
Brazeau's belongings thrown out of house
Later in the day, reporters discovered a pile of belongings - including clothing, letters, photos of Brazeau and a copy of "Inglés for Dummies" - after they were thrown out of the house and left in the snow at a back door. Reporters also found a small clear plastic bag containing a green substance.
Thursday’s arrest is the latest in a series of legal troubles for Brazeau, who recently got a job as a manager at an Ottawa strip club.
In February 2013, Gatineau police laid charges of assault and sexual assault, leading to Brazeau being kicked out of the Conservative caucus. Those charges remain before the courts.
Last November, Brazeau was one of three senators to be suspended without pay over allegations that surfaced during the Senate expense scandal.
In February, he and retired Liberal senator Mac Harb were charged with fraud and breach of trust over travel and living expense claims.
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