The parole of Hells Angels Claude Gauthier had been suspended following the assault on which he was the victim in a transitional house last spring, but it has just been granted to him again.
Gauthier, 57, a member of the Trois-Rivières section, was automatically released, two thirds of his sentence, at the beginning of April. He had been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for drug trafficking, gangsterism and concealment, following his arrest in a major anti -Drogue investigation.
But barely a few days later, Gauthier was involved in an altercation with another individual in parole, in a Quebec transitional house on April 18. A decision rendered by the Conditional Liberations Commission of Canada (CLCC) makes it possible to know more about the circumstances of the event. Part of the scene was filmed.
Photo filed in court
Claude Gauthier, on the left, discovered a camera hidden by the police in his residence during the Orca investigation, at the end of which he was arrested and accused.
Scissor
At 2:34 p.m., Gauthier was about to leave the house for an outing when he exchanged a few words with the other individual who returned to the residence. Rather than leaving, Gauthier returned to his unit before being joined by the other man soon after. Another resident heard noise in this unit and informed a manager. He moved there and found that the two men were fighting. Gauthier presented visible brands of violence, especially bruises on the face, can be read in the document. Subsequently, Gauthier opened and closed the door of the unit twice.
“At around 2:44 p.m., the cameras captured an attempt to escape from you, prosecuted by the other individual. You wore a bloody and torn sweater on the right shoulder. You have been victim of several strokes using scissors, upper body and neck. You fell on the ground by debating yourself. When the attacker fled, you got up and returned to your unit. You then disappeared from the field of vision for a few seconds, before being seen again, collapsed in the entrance to your unit, ”continues the commissioner in his decision.
Gauthier was transported to a hospital. He then refused to participate in an interview and give his version of the facts, saying that his liberation agent “was intelligent enough to understand what had happened”.
He also refused that his medical file will be sent to correctional services before changing his mind.
The biker also gave up meeting the audience commissioner and the latter made his decision on file, taking into account the representations of the Gauthier lawyer.
Bathroom cleanliness
We do not know the reasons for the altercation between Gauthier and the other individual, but the biker’s lawyer told the authorities that a “conflict linked to the house household” would be at the origin of the incident.
She also said that her client was still suffering from his injuries, especially from her vocal cords.
The Gauthier Liberation Agent recommended that the parole of the biker was revoked, due to too much risk for the company, but the CLCC has judged otherwise.
She canceled the suspension arguing in particular that Gauthier had achieved some progress since his release, that he had agreed to participate in a community program and that there is “no safe and convincing information” that Hells Angels violated one of his special conditions or that he was back in his delinquency cycle.
The biker has therefore, or will therefore be released soon, but will have to continue to respect severe conditions.
To reach Daniel Renaud, compose him 514 285-7000, post 4918, write to drenaud@lapresse.ca or write to the postal address The press.