A Simcoe, Ont. woman is facing an assault with a weapon charge after she said that she accidentally sprayed her neighbour with a water gun over the Labour Day weekend, a situation that at least one legal expert says amounts to an ‘unfortunate waste of resources.’

Wendy Washik was at a neighbourhood barbecue on Sept. 1 when she joined a playful water gun fight with one of her neighbour’s children. As the 58-year-old educational assistant was chasing the child to the front of the home, she said she accidentally sprayed another neighbour with water.

Washik said the neighbour called police and officers arrived at the scene a short time later and charged her with assault with a weapon. She claims police spoke to the neighbour who made the call but asked no one else questions about the incident.

(Monte MacGregor, a Toronto-based criminal defense lawyer, said) “Am I surprised that the charge has been laid? No. But do I recognize that it’s an unfortunate and almost meaningless waste of resources? Yes, because they didn’t interview her, right?” he said.

  • Kichae@lemmy.caEnglish
    7·
    2 months ago

    The cops would rather patrol the rich gated neighbourhoods looking to harass people who look out of place than deal with my city’s severe drug problems and constant arson and theft.

    I mean, that’s what they exist for. The idea that they’re here to protect the public in any way is just PR spin. They’re just state funded security guards for the rich who occasionally do charity work for the rest of us when there’s a chance they might get labelled a ‘hero’.