Inmate’s false accusation against guard earns more jail time

BRANDON — An inmate who falsely accused a guard of punching him at the Brandon Correctional Centre has been sentenced to two additional months in custody.

Samuel Hanska, 38, pleaded guilty to public mischief in Brandon provincial court on Wednesday.

Judge Rachel Rusen said the sentence must send a message of deterrence to Hanska — but more importantly, the public — that “this type of offending and accusing innocent people of crimes… will not be tolerated.”

The Crown had sought a nine-month sentence, while defence argued for a suspended sentence to four months in custody.

Hanska is currently serving a sentence for robbery and theft of a motor vehicle. His early release date is in July — provided he has good behaviour.

Hanska had alleged that on April 23, 2025, he was in a meeting with a correctional mental health nurse when a correctional officer, whom he named, punched him in the back, Crown attorney Sarah Kok said.

Video surveillance played in court showed Hanska in a private room with a nurse and several corrections officers.

“(The guard) motions with his hand that they needed to leave the room. It’s possible that (he) may have briefly touched Mr. Hanska’s back, but certainly, there was never any kind of punch,” Kok said.

She said Hanska confirmed this was the alleged assault.

The correctional officer provided BPS with an incident report, in which he said Hanska was being “disrespectful and swearing” at the nurse, prompting her to conclude the interview.

“Mr. Hanska began challenging staff members and … he ultimately needed to be escorted back to his cell,” Kok said. “We have footage of him within the correctional centre. He’s yelling at correctional guards.”

She said he yelled at the guards not to touch him and that he was going to get them fired.

After police reviewed the video footage and notes from the involved correctional officers, Hanska was arrested.

The matter was originally set down for trial, but Kok said it was resolved a couple weeks ago after Hanska reviewed the video footage again.

Kok said Hanska’s guilty plea is mitigating, despite it coming late in the court process, but said the list of aggravating factors is lengthier.

She pointed out that Hanska was awaiting sentencing for more serious charges when he made the allegations, that he has a lengthy criminal record and that he appeared not to “appreciate the seriousness of the charge and the potential consequences on the correctional officer.”

“The very nature of this accusation itself is serious, as Mr. Hanska tried to implicate an innocent person.”

She said the investigation into Hanska’s allegation took roughly one month.

Defence lawyer Norman Sims said his client alleged he was assaulted off camera by correctional officers in October 2024 and admits he overreacted to the situation. “He apologizes for that… He very much regrets it,” Sims said.

— Brandon Sun