"This is what happens when you steal in my f--king town!" RCMP Cpl. Dean Flaman allegedly told a suspect before assaulting him.

Flaman then allegedly punched the man in the face, left him gasping for air after applying a "tiger claw" choke hold, and pressed his face into the snow. All of this occurred while a fellow officer repeatedly told Flaman he had the situation under control and could handle the seemingly passive suspect.

These and other details — such as a "constellation of factors," according to the defence, that led to the assault — emerged during Flaman's sentencing hearing at Saskatoon Provincial Court on Tuesday.

He is scheduled to be sentenced for assault Wednesday morning.

Response to break and enters

According to Crown prosecutor Bill Burge, Flaman and two other officers responded to alleged break and enters in Warman, Sask., in February 2016. One suspect was arrested without incident.

The other ran briefly but stopped when commanded. An officer was in conversation with the suspect, who he knew from previous encounters.

"What are you doing man? When are you going to grow up?" the officer asked the man, whose pants were sagging due to the nearly $100 in loose change in his pockets, the court heard.

The violence ... was gratuitous. - Bill Burge, Crown prosecutor

At that point, according to Burge, Flaman rushed over and yelled, "What are you doing in my town? This is what happens when you steal in my f--king town!" He then punched the man in the face twice, Burge said.

The other officer tried to calm Flaman by saying, "I got this."

The court heard Flaman then pushed the 19-year-old man, whose pants were now at his ankles, into the car window. Flaman pushed the man into the driver's seat and wrapped a hand around the man's neck.

Defence lawyer Brad Mitchell disputed the severity of the choke hold, saying Flaman was trying "to induce pain compliance."

Once Flaman and the man were out of the vehicle, Flaman pressed the man's face into the snow, the court heard.

Assault was serious, says Crown

Flaman pleaded guilty to one count of assault in April.

Burge said the assault is serious, but even more so because police occupy a position of power and trust in society. Making matters worse, the other officer tried to reassure Flaman there was no need to intervene, Burge said.

"The violence ... was gratuitous. There was no need for force to be applied," Burge said.

Defence wants conditional discharge

Mitchell requested a conditional discharge for Flaman. That would ensure he does not lose his job of 16 years as an RCMP officer, Mitchell said.

He acknowledges what he did was excessive and unreasonable. - Brad Mitchell, defence lawyer

Court heard Flaman had no prior criminal record and no professional disciplinary matters until the incident in Warman.

Flaman knows what he did was wrong and he accepts full responsibility, his lawyer said.

"He acknowledges what he did was excessive and unreasonable," Mitchell said.

'Constellation of factors' led to assault: defence

In the two days before the assault, Flaman had been forced to attend a multi-fatality car crash and a suicide, Mitchell said. A subsequent report from a counsellor stated Flaman likely should not have been on duty the day of the assault due to the traumatic experiences of the week.

Mitchell said RCMP in the area were being harshly criticized in the community for failing to stem the tide of break and enters. When Flaman responded to the alleged break and enter call, "he snapped," Mitchell said.

He said Flaman has already suffered consequences. He was given a suspension with pay from the RCMP and cannot apply for promotions for two years.

The victim was not present in court and did not supply a victim impact statement.

The Crown prosecutor said he realizes jail time might not be in order, but a conditional discharge, which would result in no criminal record if conditions are met, would not be severe enough. He said that would be "contrary to the public interest."