A former Niagara police officer who was shot multiple times by a fellow officer almost six years ago has been found not guilty of assaulting a woman. Nathan Parker, 57, represented himself at a trial held in Ontario Court of Justice in Welland on Thursday on charges of assault and mischief. He vehemently denied striking his common-law partner in October 2023 at the home they shared in St.
Catharines. “I have never struck anyone in my entire life who I have been with,” he said. He testified the woman was the aggressor that day, and he simply pushed her in an attempt to stop her from striking him.
Assistant Crown attorney Carly Eastwood argued Parker’s version of what happened “doesn’t align with common sense.” The judge said testimony from Parker and the complainant, both of whom he described as credible witnesses, revealed a relationship that was clearly “going off the rails.” While the evidence “isn’t wildly divergent,” he said the Crown had not met its burden of proof and found Parker not guilty of assault.
He noted that being “probably or likely guilty” does not equate to being proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The 59-year-old woman testified her relationship with Parker had been volatile at times. She said they had been arguing that day and she decided to go into a bedroom to “remove myself from the situation.
” The complainant testified the argument continued in the bedroom. She pushed Parker to get him away from her, and he retaliated.
