Patrick Brazeau released on bail, to enter Quebec rehab centre
Suspended senator was scheduled for hearing on February charges, but that was postponed
Suspended Senator Patrick Brazeau, facing assault and cocaine charges, was released on bail on Friday and has been ordered to enter a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre within the next 72 hours.
Brazeau has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including two counts of assault, after he was arrested Thursday at a home in Gatineau, Que.
He was released on $5,000 bail with several conditions. He must enter the Mélaric rehab centre in Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, Que., within the next 72 hours and stay there 24/7 once he's checked in.
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Until then, Brazeau has been given a strict curfew where he can't be outside between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. and he can't be at a place where alcohol is sold or consumed. He must also stay with his father or a friend before entering rehab.
His next court appearance is scheduled for June 17.
Domestic disturbance at Gatineau home
Brazeau was arrested at a private residence on Boulevard Labrosse at about 4 a.m. ET Thursday after officers responded to a report of a possible domestic disturbance.
In addition to the assault charges, Brazeau was also charged with possession of cocaine, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and breaching previous release conditions.
He pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday and spent the night in jail after the prosecution opposed his release.
Gatineau police officers found a 39-year-old man and a woman on the porch of the home, Gatineau police said in a media release.
Police said another man was inside the home at the time, and they alleged the man on the porch had threatened him. The man on the porch, meanwhile, said the man inside had assaulted him.
The 50-year-old man in the house, who police said was the woman’s friend, is also facing an assault charge.
Hearing on February charges postponed
Brazeau, who used to sit in the Conservative Senate caucus, and retired Liberal Senator Mac Harb were charged in February with fraud and breach of trust in relation to the ongoing Senate spending scandal.
Brazeau also faces charges of assault and sexual assault after being arrested in February 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
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He had been scheduled to appear in court Friday on those charges but the hearing was postponed because of the latest charges.
Since February, Brazeau has found work as day manager of BareFax Gentlemen's Club, a strip club in Ottawa, across the river from Gatineau.