By Canadian Press

Court hears how former Saskatchewan Roughrider beat up ex-girlfriend

Nov 20, 2018 | 7:10 PM

REGINA — A woman who was beaten by former Saskatchewan Roughrider Justin Cox says she feared for her life the day he broke her nose and left her bloody and bruised.

The former defensive back pleaded guilty in September to assault causing bodily harm for the August 2017 attack.

His ex-girlfriend says Cox began assaulting her in the parking lot of a Regina mall and continued to beat her as he drove through traffic to the site of the old Mosaic Stadium.

According to her victim impact statement read by the Crown, she was able to escape from the vehicle and flag down a passerby who drove her to a hospital.

The Crown is asking for one year of jail time, probation, anger management and substance abuse training.

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The defence asked for significantly less jail time or no jail time and a fine he could pay off in the community.

Cox apologized during the sentencing hearing.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened,” Cox said. “I hope I get another chance.”

Cox is to be sentenced in early December with a date to be set next week.

The woman’s name is protected by a publication ban.

In her statement, she said she still lives with the trauma of the attack every day and has since moved across the country.

The victim also says that Cox repeatedly harassed her and had women he was dating harass her through messaging apps in an attempt to convince her not to testify.

According the statement, at one point Cox texted her father saying “Your daughter better help me in court before it’s too late” and “She was a lowlife when I met her.”

Contact between Cox and his ex was a breach of the terms of his bail that he consistently violated, the Crown argued.

Cox played one full season with the Roughriders, eventually being named the club’s rookie of the year in 2016.

He was let go from the team in April 2017 after he was arrested on a different assault charge but was found not guilty. (CJME, The Canadian Press)

CJME, The Canadian Press