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A judge in Unity Provincial Court found Jessica Heitt not guilty of assault following a September 2024 confrontation with co-worker Alice Deveaux at a Subway restaurant in Saskatchewan.
The court heard conflicting testimony from the three key witnesses: Deveaux, who alleged Hyde assaulted her twice during a heated argument over unfinished job duties; Heitt, who denied any physical assault and said she acted in self-defence; and Bernice Schneider, owner of the store, who witnessed parts of the incident but could not clearly determine how Deveaux fell.
Deveaux testified she was first pushed in the kitchen area, hitting her head and tailbone, then followed Heitt to the front of the store where she said Heitt kicked her in the stomach, causing a second fall. She described sustained pain and a fractured tailbone confirmed by x-rays. Hyde acknowledged a brief chest bump to push Deveaux back but denied further aggression, maintaining Deveaux was the initial aggressor and that any physical contact was minimal and defensive.
Schneider testified she arrived after being called in by Deveaux and saw the two women yelling, with Deveaux found on the floor twice — once in the kitchen and again near the front counter — but said events happened too quickly to clearly witness either alleged assault. She also confirmed that the store’s video system was not operational at the time.
In his ruling, the judge cited reasonable doubt due to conflicting accounts, lack of clear evidence, and Deveaux’s admitted role in escalating the confrontation. The judge emphasized that the Crown had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Heitt was not acting in self-defence, resulting in her acquittal of assault charges.