SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — A Prince County man will spend more than four months in jail after sending harassing messages to an ex-girlfriend.
Taylor Joseph Gallant, 22, pleaded guilty to six breaches of an undertaking as well as several driving offences and assault. The charges stemmed from his behaviour after a break-up with a Prince County woman.
On June 5, around 8 p.m., police responded to a 911 call that Gallant was outside his ex-girlfriend’s home in Alberton banging on the door and trying to get in. By the time RCMP arrived Gallant had fled.
The woman told the police that on June 3, she and Gallant had been in a physical altercation and she had bruises on her neck and arm.
RCMP tracked down Gallant that night, but he fled, leading officers on a chase around Alberton at one point exceeding 120 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone.
Gallant was located in St. Louis and taken into custody. He was released with a court date and was told not to contact the woman in any way.
However, between June 5 and July 27, the woman made several calls to RCMP to report Gallant continued to make contact by texts and social media, despite her best efforts to block the contact.
After the fifth complaint, Gallant was held in custody and let go on a release order with a curfew and an order not to contact her but shortly after, he had violated the curfew and was following her around Alberton.
Judge Krista MacKay described Gallant "trying to contact a woman who clearly wants nothing to do with you” as disturbing.
She also noted Gallant’s flight from police.
“If you are fleeing from police in Prince County, you’re going to jail. That is a ‘for sure’,” said MacKay.
Gallant will spend 153 days in jail after which he’ll be on probation for three years with electronic supervision. He is also prohibited from driving for 18 months.
