Edmonton criminal lawyer suspended after domestic assault conviction

The Law Society of Alberta has suspended an Edmonton criminal lawyer from practice for a year after he pleaded guilty earlier this month to domestic assault charges.

Ravi Prithipaul admits he repeatedly abused his wife Shannon Prithipaul for 17 years over the course of their marriage.

Shannon Prithipaul is an Edmonton criminal lawyer and the former president of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association. She told CBC News she is in the process of divorcing her husband and former law partner.

Ravi Prithipaul was committed to stand trial after a preliminary hearing held in July 2016.

The trial was scheduled to begin Oct. 2. Ravi Prithipaul entered guilty pleas on Oct. 3 and was sentenced Oct. 6.

A Crown prosecutor was brought in from Calgary to prosecute the case, which was heard in Edmonton by Calgary Court of Queen's Bench Justice Glen Poelman.

Prithipaul will not spend any time in jail. He was given a $200 victim fine surcharge and one year of house arrest.

For the first six months, he must remain in his home around the clock. For the second half of his sentence, he'll have an overnight curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The court also ordered a 10-year firearm prohibition.

More to come.