Overview

• Jeremy David McDonald, 44, is charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon after an alleged break-in left Michael Kyle Breen, 41, with life-threatening injuries.
• Police filings allege McDonald used a knife, and Breen was airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre following the early-morning confrontation.
• Breen also faces charges including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, break and enter, theft, mischief under $5,000, and failing to comply with probation, and he was wanted on unrelated offences.
• McDonald’s lawyer, Steven Norton, says his client maintains his innocence and acted within his rights to protect himself and his home.
• Kawartha Lakes police chief Kirk Robertson says the right to defend oneself is not unlimited, legal experts outline proportionality factors under Section 34, and public criticism has included Premier Doug Ford’s comments; the charges have not been tested in court.