Nichelle Benn, left, and her mother Brenda Hardiman head into provincial court in Dartmouth, N.S., on Jan. 15, 2014.ANDREW VAUGHAN/The Canadian Press
Three charges have been dropped against a woman with an intellectual disability who was accused of biting and hitting a staff member at a Halifax care facility.
The Crown told provincial court today that after assessing the case, it decided not to proceed with charges of assault, assault with a weapon and breach of probation against Nichele Benn.
Halifax police alleged the woman bit and struck an employee of the Quest Regional Rehabilitation Centre with a foam letter and a shoe on Dec. 12, 2013.
After Benn was charged, her mother, Brenda Hardiman, said she didn't believe the case should go before the courts because her daughter has a brain disorder.
At the time, Hardiman said it was a health issue, not a criminal one.
Outside court today, Hardiman said she was relieved her family's legal battle has come to an end.
"We just hope that other families that are experiencing the same thing will take a look at this and continue their fight and hopefully they'll have the same result that we have," she said.
"I'm hoping that Community Services is going to take a look at their policies and procedures and maybe work with their staff that calling police rather than putting supports in place may not be the appropriate way to go."