No jail time for ex-court services director who assaulted a justice of the peace
Judge gives Michael Hatch 12-month conditional discharge after finding him guilty of assaulting ex-wife
Former director of court services is guilty of assaulting his ex-wife and gets a conditional discharge for 12 month. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Nunavut’s former court services director was found guilty of assaulting his ex-wife — a justice of the peace — two years ago but was given a conditional discharge after a two-day trial that ended Thursday.
Defence lawyer Scott Cowan, seen here outside the Iqaluit courthouse, calls the decision in his client’s assault charge “spot on.” (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Michael Hatch, 37, faced six charges including, four weapons offences, forcible confinement and assault, all stemming from a violent incident involving his ex-wife, Justice of the Peace Amanda Soper, that happened overnight Sept. 16, 2023.
Soper testified Wednesday her ex-husband appeared to have a “mental health breakdown,” as Hatch’s lawyer Scott Cowan described it.
After hosting a party with wine and recreational marijuana at their Anuri Street house, Hatch started insulting Soper and slammed the bedroom door until it broke. The two had already separated but were continuing to live together.
Hatch hit himself on the head with two candleholders and started bleeding.
Soper says he took her phone, pushed her — giving her multiples bruises — and wouldn’t let her leave the house.
And after they finally both got out of the house, she saw Hatch holding a gun underneath his chin and then pointing it at her, she testified.
Defence lawyer Scott Cowan had no objection to most of what Soper told the court apart from the gun-pointing outside the house. Cowan said there was no evidence of that happening.
However, he accepted that Hatch’s actions were “sad and pathetic” and could be considered “domestic violence.”
“Having a suicidal partner with guns is domestic violence — there is no question that there is danger,” he said.
Shortly after Soper filed a police report — a year after the incident — Hatch lost his job as court services director, moved to Whitehorse and took a remote job for a non-profit in Inuit employment training, Cowan said.
“It was clear that it was a difficult night for both of them,” said Justice John Menzies, a Manitoba judge who presided over the trial because of Hatch’s involvement in Nunavut’s legal system.
Menzies convicted Hatch of assault. But he dismissed the four gun charges and forcible confinement charge.
After a recess, lawyers made sentencing suggestions.
Crown lawyer Sobia Virk, a “conflict” prosecutor brought in from Ontario because of Hatch’s previous involvement in Nunavut’s justice system, suggested 30 to 60 days in jail and a 10-year weapons ban.
Cowan called that “high-handed” and “tone deaf” and suggested a conditional discharge.
That option would mean probation, and if Hatch follows all the conditions, the offence will be removed from his criminal record.
Menzies went with the discharge, with 12 months probation, during which Hatch must report to a probation officer, attend counselling and transfer the ownership of his firearms to someone else.
“The decision was spot on,” Cowan said after court adjourned.
“This was an isolated incident where a person having an emotional breakdown, for a very brief moment, acted inappropriately.”
At the end of proceedings, Hatch made a brief speech, apologizing for his actions, and saying he will continue to work on his mental health to create a “better version” of himself.
I this such a miscarriage of justice. He worked for the department of justice in a senior role
We need to hold him to a higher standard. In my years of working with the GN, this is automatic dismissal. We have dismissed employees for less than this. Sounds like favouritism at is best. I hope there is an appeal. Many of us will follow this.
I agree that the Nunavut Court of Justice is such a joke. It’s like I know a character. It wasn’t an emotional breakdown; it was a complete mental and psychological breakdown that was violent.
He was terminated from his position after the charges. That was part of the sentencing arguments from his lawyer.
If you think this is bad, wait until you hear about the Gladue Principle and how that’s applied in NU…
How brave of Amanda for coming forward to report this violence at the hands of someone who was supposed to have loved her. Domestic violence does not discriminate to race, income, or social status. It happens more often than is reported. Thank you for being vulnerable and brave. We see you, we support you and we thank you for your courage!
I won’t speak to the judges decision… A ‘brief’ mental health meltdown is no excuse for the trauma the victim now has to live with.
This is such a typical ruling. So sick of men getting a slap on the wrist for domestic violence. Especially when a firearm is involved. Disappointing. Disgusting. As an officer of the Courts, he has responsibilities greater than the average civilian and he is supposed to be held to a higher standard. He lost control of his actions while in possession of a firearm. Just because no one was shot or killed this time, doesn’t at all justify someone suggesting this wasn’t that ‘serious’ of a situation! Just look at the statistics on this very situation… many women are killed when in this very situation of preparing to leave their partner. Ridiculous ruling! Pathetic to see these rulings still happening in 2025! Courts need to do better!!
Not only are Inuit treated well above the justice standards. Low or no time/punishments did become the norm in Nunavut. Now the same happens to a caucasian person. What’s wrong with accepting this and showing some empathy to both the victim and the mental health-impacted ex-partner? After all, Mental Health is always being used as an excuse in Nunavut
Let’s get real here and put this in perspective. This was domestic violence on the very low end of the scale in terms of seriousness. It involved a push to the victim and the only significant violence inflicted by the offender was on himself. When it was over, the victim kept it quiet to avoid further embarrassment to the offender and only reported it to police a year later.
The judge was very wise to sum it up as a “ difficult night for both of them” and let’s not forget that Mr. Hatch lost his job for his actions on that difficult night. A conditional discharge was the absolutely correct decision and anyone who thinks otherwise has completely lost perspective on this.
Absolutely agree..
All the commenters are insane and obviously were not in the court room. The assault he was convicted of was a push. Not a punch not a slap…… a push.
Nunavut has the highest sexual violence rates in the country and crime in general is off the charts. If you think this is serious, you should go to the courthouse on any day and you will be blown away.
A push.
If this was a inuk guy it would’ve been 4-6 years in prison and lifetime fire arm ban …
For a conviction on one assault charge, consisting of a push, and no firearm-related charges? That’s extremely unlikely.
No wonder most of the court in Nunavut are being move to next court. And they say they do their work and look at this who work at the justice system for long time and finally being charged. Instead of people of Nunavut who trying to charged or complain not being worked on but inside the system that they said they fit to be in that work is now being sentenced. How stupid those who say who do their work and nothing is done. I hope all the things they do will back fire for their lack of work.