A former Prince George Mountie was given an absolute discharge Monday for hitting a handcuffed suspect in a burst of anger following a tense chase and an exchange of gunfire that a prosecutor said left the officer fearing for the lives of his colleagues.

In a brief Vancouver provincial court hearing, Crown counsel Cory Lo said Const. Paul Ste-Marie punched Dilmeet Chahal on the chin with the back of his fist in August 2022 as Chahal sat in a cruiser breathing heavily.

Lo said the officer’s actions violated the fundamental principles of the justice system — that prisoners are entitled to be safe and that it’s not up to police officers to mete out justice.

But if not excusable, Lo said Ste-Marie’s actions were understandable given “unique” circumstances that saw the 27-year-old officer rammed by a vehicle flagged for homicide and gang connections before a foot chase with bullets flying.