Patrick Brazeau pleads guilty to simple assault, cocaine possession

Patrick Brazeau pleaded guilty to simple assault and cocaine possession at the resumption of his criminal trial today in Gatineau, Que., but the senator was formally acquitted of sexual assault.

Brazeau, 40, entered the pleathis morning in Quebec Court, after the Crown and defence reached an agreementlast week on on how to settle the matter.

• Brazeau set to plead guilty to simple assault, cocaine charges

The former member of Stephen Harper's Conservative caucus is now astep closer to regaining his Senate seat, as both hislawyerand the Crown prosecutor haveasked Judge ValmontBeaulieuto giveBrazeauan absolutedischarge, which means he would walkaway with no criminal record.

Gerard Larocque, Brazeau's lawyer, told Beaulieu that if his client receives thedischarge "hischances are excellent" of returningto sit as a senator.

Beaulieusaid he wouldconsider the request and handdownBrazeau'ssentence on Oct. 28.

'Weak' testimony from alleged sexual assault victim

The sexual assault charge stemmed fromanallegedincident two years ago inwestern Quebec.

The female complainant, whose identity is protected, claims Brazeau pushed her down stairs, choked her, hit her head against a wall, spat on her and sexually assaulted her.

She testified she feared for her life during the alleged fracas withBrazeau.

Crownprosecutor Sylvain Petitclerc said Tuesday there was not enoughevidence to go forward with the sexual assault accusation.

"What we told the court is that given the proof at this time onthe sexual assault charge, getting a verdict beyond any reasonabledoubt seemed to us not very probable," Petitclerc told reporters outside the courthouse.

Petitclerc suggested one reason Brazeau decided to plead guiltyis because a video confession made by him wasscheduled to be shownduring the trial.

"Brazeau was also supposed to take the stand, testify and be [cross-examined]," Petitclerc said. "By pleading guilty,thevideo will not be shown and he won'tbe [cross-examined]. Sothat's maybe a strategic decision."

Beaulieu said in court the alleged victim of sexual assaultwhosename is protected under a publication banprovided"weak"testimony during the initial stages of the trial.

After hearing theevidence that has so far beenpresented in court, the judge acquitted Brazeau of the sexual assault charge.

Brazeau faces other legal hurdles

"For 2 years I've been charged with sexual assault and that accusation is the worst, or one of the worst, that anybody could have," Brazeau told reporters outside the courthouse.

"It's over. I've been found not guilty of that," he said, adding that he now plans to take a vacation.

The cocaine charge was separate, arisingfrom an April 2014 incident in whichBrazeauwas also charged with assault, uttering threats and breaching bail conditions following an altercation involving a man and a woman at a home inGatineau.

The Crown has now dropped those criminal charges after securing the plea on the lesser charge ofcocaine possession.

A separate2014 chargeof impaired care or control of a motor vehicleremainsoutstanding against Brazeau.

The senator was kicked out of the Conservative caucus after this incident.

He was subsequently suspended by the Senate for submitting questionable living expenses, but since the election writ was dropped and Parliament dissolved, he is on a leave of absence with pay. (The Senate may vote to suspend him again when it returns later this fall.)

Larocquesaidhis clienthas signed up for university courses andintends to retake his seat in the Senate. Brazeau,when asked if he planned on returning to the upperchamber, replied: "That's the plan."

Brazeau'scriminal trial onfraud charges arising from his questionable Senate expenses is scheduled for March 2016.