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Stéfanie Trudeau, known as 'Officer 728,' to be sentenced Thursday

Former Montreal police officer Stéfanie Trudeau, widely known as "Officer 728" because of her badge number, will learn this Thursday how much time, if any, she'll have to serve for assaulting a Montreal man four years ago.

Judge Daniel Bédard heard sentencing arguments Tuesday in the case of Trudeau, who was found guilty of assault in February for using excessive force while arresting Serge Lavoie outside his home in 2012.

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Trudeau's lawyer, Jean-Pierre Rancourt, recommended either an absolute or conditional discharge, saying extensive media coverage of the case saw his client stigmatized.

That argument was dispelled by Bédard, who said Trudeau's actions were "brutal" and that can't be ignored.

In a video taken of the confrontation, Trudeau was seen screaming and putting Lavoie in a headlock.

The Crown has recommended a 12-month suspended sentence with 60 hours of community service.

Trudeau was charged with assault in March 2014 but was tried by summary trial, which in turn reduced the severity of the charge.

As a result, Trudeau faces a maximum of six months in jail rather than the maximum sentence of five years for an indictable offence.

She is appealing the conviction.

'Unacceptable' behaviour

Trudeau was suspended with pay from the force shortly after the 2012 incident.

Marc Parent, the police chief at the time, apologized to the public for her behaviour, calling it "unacceptable" and saying Trudeau "absolutely" posed a danger to the public.

During the trial, Lavoie testified that he thought he was going to die during his encounter with Trudeau.

Others who were present during the arrest said Trudeau's actions were unprovoked.

However, Lavoie can be heard on the video calling Trudeau "grosse niaiseuse," which translates roughly as "fat dummy," during an earlier altercation between the officer and another man outside the apartment.

Not the first time

Trudeau first became a household name for pepper-spraying student protesters in 2012.

She was recorded on a cellphone video that went viral online, with nearly half a million hits on YouTube.

But she wasn't charged for that incident.

Prosecutors found that the video didn't allow prosecutors to "appreciate the entire event in context."

Trudeau has had at least three other misconduct complaints against her since 1996.

She quit her job last September. She had been with the force for nearly 20 years.

Correction : A previous version of this story said that Stéfanie Trudeau would be sentenced during her court appearance. In fact, the hearing was for sentencing arguments.(May 24, 2016 2:15 PM)