Face tattoo helped identify man accused of multiple crimes

A tattoo and a photo line-up connected David Rous to two thefts in January of this year.

Two months later, it was an eyewitness, detailing an attack on his partner, who added to the charges he faced Thursday when he appeared in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom.

Rous, 36, pleaded guilty to assault, two counts of theft, and three counts of breaching court orders.

Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn heard the accused stole a ladder, valued at $200, from outside a home on Jan. 25.

He was caught on video walking up to the house, taking the ladder and leaving on a bicycle.

The thief had a tattoo near his right eye, which helped identify Rous, prosecutor Adrianna Mucciarelli said.

About two weeks earlier, on Jan. 8, Rous had approached a man in a McNabb Street store asking for money.

When his request was denied, the accused left the store and made off with the individual's $1,500 bicycle.

The complainant identified Rous as the culprit in a police photo lineup.

On March 8, officers responded to a call about a man punching a woman in the head on McNabb Street.

The witness described what the male was wearing and that he was carrying a backpack, Mucciarelli said.

Officers located the couple behind the YMCA and arrested Rous. The woman had no obvious injuries, the assistant Crown attorney said.

He was subsequently released on an order with conditions that included no contact with the woman.

On March 17, Rous was located at a Bruce Street address with the woman after a neighbour contacted police because they were arguing and throwing things around.

He was again arrested, and was released two days later on an undertaking.

On March 23, officers were dispatched to a domestic dispute on Bruce Street.

When police arrived, the couple had left. Rous was arrested the following day.

The Crown and defence lawyer Ken Walker jointly recommended a four-month jail term — less credit for the time the accused has spent in pre-sentence custody — followed by two years probation.

Walker said his client, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had stopped taking his medication.

Rous started using street drugs "and went into a spiral," he told Dunn.

When she accepted the lawyers' submission, the judge said she was taking into account his record and his mental health issues.

She also noted Rous appears to have been stabilized while in custody.

Denunciation, deterrence and rehabilitation are factors in the sentencing, she said.

With the credit he received for 50 days pre-sentence custody, he faces a further 70 days behind bars.

Rous will be on probation for two years with conditions that include taking any assessments and counselling his probation officer determines could be of any benefit to him.

As well, he is to have no contact with the three complainants.

Dunn also imposed a five-year weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample for the national database.