Hamilton woman pleads guilty to 'hate-motivated' assaults

An Ontario justice sentenced a 46-year-old Hamilton woman to two years probation after she pleaded guilty to four assaults, including three police described in May as "hate-motivated." 

"Yes, I did those four things," Melissa Deman said, when asked about the assaults in a Hamilton courtroom July 11. She opted not to say more about the crimes when Justice Fergus O'Donnell sentenced her. 

According to a joint submission by the crown and defence, Deman assaulted her neighbour outside his home on Nov. 1, and three strangers on May 12 and 13. It was on the latter dates that she used racist slurs during the attacks.

In announcing her arrest, Hamilton Police Service said Deman "could be heard uttering anti-Black hate speech," when she attacked people who were between the ages of 14 and 24, one of whom suffered minor injuries.

That aspect of the assaults was not discussed in court, beyond the lawyers agreeing Deman yelled slurs in at least two of the incidents. 

Deman admitted to assaulting four people

On Nov. 1, the court heard, Deman's then-neighbour found her outside his house yelling when he returned home. She threw her purse at him then pulled him to the ground and hit him.

On May 12, she approached a woman at a bus stop by Queenston Road and Nash Road N., yelled slurs at her, spat in her face and followed her onto a bus where she grabbed and hit her.

The following day, she kicked another passenger on a B-line bus near Queenston Road and Lake Avenue, unprovoked. Later that afternoon, she was back by the bus stop near Queenston Road and Nash Road N. Deman punched another person there without provocation, yelling slurs.

Police announced her arrest May 15.

Hate-related incidents and crimes rose sharply in Hamilton last year, according to police statistics showing Black, Jewish and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are the most frequently targeted. 

Hamilton police reported 106 hate crimes — criminal offences where hate or bias is a clear motivating factor — and 191 hate incidents, which include actions with hateful overtones but that don't meet the legal threshold for a crime.

Justice says Deman should focus on addressing mental health

The crown and defence suggested a sentence of 90 days and two years probation for Deman. The judge agreed. Since she already served 59 days of pre-sentence custody, counting for 89 days of custody, he just imposed probation.

Deman may not come within 50 metres of her old neighbour, must attend counselling and not possess any weapons.

"If you can focus on whatever the underlying issue is, then the hope is that you're never gonna be back here again because this is the worst possible place to deal with your challenges," O'Donnell said.

The court heard she has been unemployed for the past five years and her sole source of income are Ontario Disability Support Program payments. Deman did not have a criminal record before this. 

"Work on getting better and that's the best path to never have someone like me telling you how to live your life again," O'Donnell said.