Senator Patrick Brazeau leaves a Gatineau courthouse after a court appearance February 8, 2013.Dave Chan/The Globe and Mail
Senator Patrick Brazeau has been released on $1,000 bail after being charged with assault and sexual assault on Friday.
Mr. Brazeau spent the night in detention after his arrest on Thursday, police spokesman Pierre Lanthier said in a statement.
Wearing a long dark overcoat, Mr. Brazeau made a short court appearance at 9:05 on Friday, and returned in front of Quebec Court judge Lynne Landry 40 minutes later. He was finally released around 10:30 on a $1,000 bail and other conditions, including not communicating with the alleged victim and staying away from her residence and workplace.
Mr. Brazeau's next court appearance is scheduled for March 22, at which time he will be able to register a plea. Mr. Brazeau refused to speak to reporters as he left the building.
During the court proceeding, Mr. Brazeau registered his principal address as a house in Maniwaki, Que. He will be able to go back to the house in Gatineau where he was arrested, but Crown prosecutor Sylvain Petitclerc made it clear that Mr. Brazeau will be expected to reside in Maniwaki.
"He must respect the condition of living at that address during the proceedings," Mr. Petitclerc said. "It's serious charges,because it is an assault against a person and a sexual assault also."
Mr. Petitclerc said the charges involved summary conviction offenses, meaning the maximum sentence would be 18 months.
Gatineau police interviewed both Mr. Brazeau and the alleged victim in this case on Thursday, and searched the house in Gatineau where the 38-year-old senator was arrested after receiving a 911 complaint for domestic violence.