Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of assaulting his wife and was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
Lawrence appeared in Moose Jaw Provincial Court for sentencing after initially facing two charges related to an incident in February 2019. The Crown dropped a charge of assault by choking as part of a plea agreement.
The 12-month conditional discharge means Lawrence will avoid jail time, provided he complies with court-ordered conditions, including keeping the peace, being of good behaviour, and notifying authorities of any changes to his name, address, or occupation. Lawrence is also prohibited from contacting the victim or coming within 50 metres of her home or workplace.
A victim surcharge was also ordered.
Lawrence, who represented Moose Jaw Wakamow, resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus on Jan. 30, 2024, amid a police investigation "unrelated to his duties as an MLA." He resigned one day before being officially charged with assault and choking by Moose Jaw police.
The police investigation began in the summer of 2023 after receiving "historic complaints of assault" involving Lawrence.
Lawrence, who sat as an independent MLA after resigning from the caucus, did not seek re-election in the October 2024 provincial election. He had largely been absent from legislative duties during his final year in office, partly due to a motorcycle crash in August 2023 that left him hospitalized for several weeks.