A Quebec artistic director known for contributing to the successes of Jean Leloup, Loco Locass and Pierre Lapointe has just pleaded guilty to beating a woman with whom he had an intimate relationship over a period of several months had relationship.
“We must denounce this violence against women and intimate partners. We must say no to violence,” said Ms. Hélène Décarie of the Crown this Monday at the Montreal courthouse in the Denis Wolff case.
A few minutes earlier, Wolff, 67, pleaded guilty to one count of violence against a woman who cannot be identified by court order.
According to the facts presented to the court, the violence occurred over several months, several years ago.
Not a single event
There could have been arguments while he was with the woman. During one of them, however, Wolff threw an iPad into his face, which gave him a black eye. At other times, he might pull her arm, shoulders, or wrist.
“There was an escalation of violence,” the prosecutor said, adding that one day in “excessive anger” he hit the woman with sheets, causing her to have symptoms of a concussion.
The diagnosis was not confirmed by the doctors, but the woman subsequently had to live with migraines, dizziness and dizziness.
During the final episode of violence, Wolff straddled the victim, hit her with a slipper and also crushed her head with a pillow.
“[La victime] “I was afraid that she had the feeling of losing consciousness,” the prosecutor explained.
A police report was filed which led to the arrest of the music director, who had worked in the field for three decades. Wolff, who had worked with artists such as Bran Van 3000 and Alexandre Désilets, later resigned from his position on the board of the Canadian Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers [SOCAN].
Denis Wolff in 2004, when he presented the artist Lhasa with a gold record. Archive photo
U-turn
But although he said he was not guilty, he changed his mind this Monday, shortly before the trial began. He therefore pleaded guilty to common assault and battery.
Wolff, represented by Alexandra Boulanger and Pierre Poupart, will appear in court again in April for an oral hearing on the sentence to be imposed on him.
The Crown would not comment on the sentence it was seeking, but recalled that a defendant's confession often allows victims to move on.
“I know it's difficult, but you have to trust the justice system. We’re trying to make sure things go well,” Mr. Décarie said. It is important to denounce this violence.”
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