Edmonton Soldier Sentenced To Twelve Months In Jail For Unprovoked “Superman-Punching” Of Gay Man

An Edmonton soldier who posted on Facebook that he had “Superman-punched” a gay man on the dance floor of city nightclub has been sentenced to 12 months in jail, reports the Edmonton Sun. 25 year old Corporal Michael Tscherkassow received the sentence Tuesday after earlier being convicted of aggravated assault. In handing down the sentence, Judge Brad Kerby said “This was an unprovoked assault with long-lasting, serious injuries to the victim, adding that it was aggravating Tscherkassow took the time to post about the incident on Facebook, saying “I take that as bragging, a touting to the world, which is the opposite of remorse.” Tscherkassow – who apologized in court to victim Cody Garbutt while saying he was now a “different person” than what he was at the time of the assault – was ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national DNA databank and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. The weapons prohibition could impact Tscherkassow’s military career and the supply clerk must still face an internal disciplinary hearing which could result in him being dishonourable discharged. Tscherkassow was found guilty of aggravated assault in October, following a trial, for the early morning March 8, 2009, attack at the Play Nightclub, a gay and lesbian bar that is currently closed. Garbutt and his friend Tyler MacMillan, both gay males, had been exiting the dance floor after an altercation when Tscherkassow punched Garbutt in the face. Garbutt suffered a broken jaw, a broken nose, a fractured orbital wall in his right eye and cuts on the inside of his mouth and lip, and was hospitalized for a week, his jaw wired shut for five weeks. In a victim impact statement, Garbutt said he now has four steel plates in his face and that he has problems sleeping and suffers constant anxiety when in crowds.