The Ontario Superior Court of Justice heard the final submissions for a Chatham physician who pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife.
"The person who committed the actions are not the same person I am now," he said in front of Justice Gerri Wong, on Thursday.
The physician cannot be named due to a publication ban in place to protect the identity of his children.
Over his life the man has battled depression and other forms of mental illness, the courtroom heard. Representing the man's attorney, David Jacklin, defence attorney Greg McGivern said the lowest point for his client came when the incidents of domestic abuse occurred. Since the incident, both the man and his wife have attended regular marriage counselling in an attempt to rebuild the trust of his family.
In the crown's final submission, prosecutor Heather McIntyre reaffirmed this is a case of domestic violence and that this was not a case of an isolated incident. It was done in an attempt to exert power and control over his wife, she told the court.
In some cases, domestic abuse could mean jail time, but because this is the guilty man's first offence, the crown is seeking a suspended sentence with probation.
He will reappear in court on June 24 at 10 a.m. where sentencing is supposed to be passed down.
