A former sex worker who stabbed a client in the neck during an argument in a 91原创 hotel room was sentenced to 18 months in prison, as the judge noted the violent incident was out of character for her.

Michelle Yvonne Bailey was found guilty of aggravated assault after a four-day trial last spring, overseen by Justice Amy D. Francis.

According to the Dec. 22 ruling in New Westminster Supreme Court, which was recently posted online, the incident took place at the Days Inn in 91原创 in December 2020.

Bailey, now 49 years old, met the victim in a parking lot a few days before the incident, and later spent three nights living in the victim鈥檚 hotel room.

Over the first two nights, Bailey took fentanyl that the victim brought, but they did not have sex.

After having sex on the third night, an argument began the following morning over how much the victim owed Bailey.

She asked for $900, and he refused, saying he had paid for the room and her fentanyl.

The victim left the room and went to the hotel lobby to pay for more nights in the room, but his card had an insufficient balance.

The victim then returned to his room and tried to find his phone to check his bank balance. He and Bailey argued about the missing cellphone.

The victim left again, realized he did not have his wallet, and returned.

鈥淗e knocked on the door,鈥� wrote Francis. 鈥淢s. Bailey opened the door. When [the victim] stepped into the room, Ms. Bailey stabbed him in the neck.鈥�

Although aggravated assault has a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison, the Crown prosecutor in this case asked for two years in jail, minus one day. That would result in a provincial prison sentence, rather than a federal one. Bailey鈥檚 defense asked for a one-year sentence.

Francis noted in her ruling that Bailey has suffered most of her life with addictions and mental health issues. She has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and opioid dependence.

She had an unstable home life as a teenager in Calgary, and left home to live in a 鈥渂iker clubhouse鈥� for a few years. She started drinking at a young age, tried cocaine for the first time at age 14, and only completed Grade 6 at age 16.

鈥淎t the time of the offence, she was homeless and using fentanyl daily,鈥� noted the judge. 鈥淚t is clear that Ms. Bailey鈥檚 mental health disorders have impeded her ability to have a productive, stable life.鈥�

However, Francis noted that despite Bailey鈥檚 lifelong issues with drugs and mental health problems, she has a very limited criminal record. her only two previous convictions were on charges of mischief and theft under $5,000 in 2016 in Calgary. The hotel attack is her only violent offense.

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Before the trial, Bailey was under house arrest at an addiction treatment centre in Surrey, and has been sober since her arrest. However, she ran away from the facility the day after her conviction, leading to a breach of probation charge.

In addition to being under house arrest at a treatment centre, Bailey spent 234 days in custody before she was sentenced. The judge noted that time results in a credit of 351 days, so that Bailey will serve a further 189 days in prison to conclude her 18-month sentence.

Francis also ordered Bailey to serve two years of probation with a long list of conditions, including a ban on consuming any drugs or alcohol, a ban on possessing weapons, including knives except for use in cooking, and to take her medication.