Justice Matthew Ferguson of the Quebec Superior Court sentenced Timothy Assapa, 34, to 33 months in prison for a near-fatal assault on his uncle, Sajuilie Assapa. The attack occurred on June 28, 2025, in Puvirnituq, Quebec, while Assapa was under a court order to stay away from his uncle.
Attack Details
According to court documents, Assapa beat his uncle unconscious with a metal bar after an argument about money. Sajuilie Assapa suffered a 'moderate traumatic brain injury, along with multiple facial and skull fractures,' the judge wrote. Police found the victim in a nearby bush just before 7 a.m., breathing but unresponsive and covered in blood. His face was swollen, with a significant laceration to the forehead. 'The photographs and the medical summary document the extent of the injuries. They are consistent with repeated, forceful blows to the head. He is fortunate to be alive,' Ferguson stated.
Previous Assault
The June attack was the second assault on the same victim within six months. On January 4, 2025, Assapa struck his uncle on the head with a pair of scissors after they argued about alcohol, causing a cut above the hairline. Assapa pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon and aggravated assault for both incidents.
Sentencing Considerations
The Crown argued for a prison sentence between 30 and 36 months, emphasizing the extreme violence and targeting of the head. Assapa's lawyer recommended 18 months, citing genuine remorse and a childhood marked by profound trauma as significant mitigating factors. The judge noted discrepancies between Assapa's pre-sentence report and a Gladue report, which considers the unique circumstances of Indigenous offenders to address their overrepresentation in prisons.
Assapa has previous convictions for assault, drug possession, uttering threats, breaking and entering, assaulting a peace officer, assault with a weapon, mischief, and multiple failures to comply with court orders. He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer for spitting on two police officers during his arrest and breaching release conditions by contacting his uncle.
Impact on Victim
Sajuilie Assapa's recovery required more than three months of institutional care in Montreal. The judge emphasized the need for specific deterrence and public protection, stating, 'The sentence must make clear that any future resort to violence in such a state will attract a severe response.'
