Grand Falls, NL shop owner found guilty of assaulting child by hanging him on a coat hook by the hood

Scales of justice. Photo by 123RF StockArticle contentA Grand Falls shop owner has been found guilty of assaulting a child for hanging him on a coat hook by his jacket hood.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentProvincial Court Judge Lloyd Strickland concluded Rodney Philpott didn’t intend to harm the boy, but took the action as an “ill-considered, misguided continuation of horseplay” between the two of them.Article contentArticle contentThe boy was among family members accompanying a bride to Philpott’s dress shop in the spring of 2025 as she looked for a wedding gown.Article contentArticle contentThe court heard the child was running around in the dressing room, “tormenting” Philpott, who was bringing the woman dresses.Article contentThe woman and another adult family member testified Philpott grabbed the boy, turned the hood of his coat inside-out and hung him on a coat hook on the wall, taking him down when the child’s face turned purple.Article contentThe boy also testified, telling the court the man who gave the bride the dresses had hung him on a hook, and he felt a pinch on his throat as he was hanging.Article contentThe Crown presented photos taken the day of the incident of a bruise on the boy’s neck.Article contentPhilpott denied hanging the child on a hook. He told the court he remembered the child being unruly, but said he didn’t find the boy’s behaviour unusual.Article contentPhilpott’s partner testified he had been in the shop at the time, and was not aware of any trouble.Article contentJUDGE REJECTS EVIDENCE OF ACCUSEDArticle contentThe judge accepted the evidence of the bride, describing her as solemn, calm and unmoved on cross-examination, offering compelling details in her testimony.Article contentArticle contentStrickland described Philpott’s evidence as unconvincing, noting Philpott had sought to portray the encounter as uneventful, while at the same time saying he remembered the boy left his jacket outside the dressing room.Article content“This is a very mundane detail for him to claim to remember,” the judge wrote. “I do not accept his testimony, and I do not believe his denial.”Article contentNO ONE ATTEMPTED TO INTERVENEArticle contentStrickland said there was no evidence to suggest Philpott had been angry or intended to hurt the boy when he hung him on the hook, pointing out Philpott wasn’t charged with attempted murder or assault causing bodily harm.Article content“The police and the Crown shared this opinion,” the judge wrote. He indicated there was evidence of playful interaction between the accused and the victim, the boy did not struggle with Philpott or cry afterwards, and no one else in the dressing room had attempted to intervene.Article content“The only plausible explanation for this consistent lack of reaction is that everyone in the room knew what Mr. Philpott was about to do. They acquiesced in the moment because the notion of hanging (the boy) on a coat hook seemed a funny thing to do. Of course, once he began to choke they all realized that the venture was a very bad idea.”