A man who kidnapped and held his ex-fiancée captive for two-and-a-half days while out on bail for assault charges was sentenced to six years in jail Thursday.
Clinton McLaughlin pleaded guilty in September to kidnapping and beating his ex-fiancée and, on Thursday in Saskatoon provincial court, admitted to assaulting, threatening and choking another ex-girlfriend.
Court heard disturbing details of how McLaughlin kidnapped his ex-fiancée on May 30 as she was giving back an engagement ring.
He accused her of cheating, beat her and threw her down a set of stairs before duct-taping her hands and feet and forcing her into the box of his truck. She was able to free herself after using her teeth to pop the latch on the truck’s box cover. She dove out but McLaughlin grabbed her again.
A witness who saw the escape attempt called police, but as police searched for the pair, McLaughlin drove outside the city and tried to use a knife to slit her wrists, as well as his own. The blade was too dull so he asked her to stab him. He beat her further when she refused.
He finally let her go and she was found along a highway east of Saskatoon.
McLaughlin was found in the area a short time later.
He was out on bail for charges of assaulting his ex-girlfriend when the kidnapping occurred.
His ex-girlfriend was a university student who broke up with McLaughlin in January.
Court heard they met again after the breakup and that, during the meeting, she received a text from another man. McLaughlin became upset, pushed her and hit her head against the wall. He then choked her until she almost lost consciousness.
The woman dropped out of university, gave up her apartment and left Saskatoon before going to police, court heard.
