Two men expressed their deep remorse in a Victoria court on Wednesday for their involvement in the death of a Metchosin man beaten with a hammer three years ago.
Lee Hart, 40, and Nathen Monsour, 34, pleaded guilty in March to manslaughter in the death of 41-year-old Shawn Douglas Campbell.
Court has heard that the friendship between Campbell and Monsour deteriorated quickly in the days between Sept. 25 and Sept. 29, 2018, when Monsour and Hart attacked Campbell in a driveway on Carey Road, striking him on the back of the head and his right eye with hammers. Campbell was pronounced dead on Oct. 1, 2018.
Hart, who said he has spent the past 18 months in jail trying to understand his actions, apologized to Campbell’s friend Neil Albrecht, who was injured in the attack, then addressed Campbell’s parents, saying: “If I could go back in time I would never have agreed to go along with this … I can’t even begin to understand how much this has hurt you and I would never wish that sadness and hurt on anyone. There is no excuse or justification for Shawn’s death.”
Hart also apologized to Campbell’s daughter Hayley, who read a victim-impact statement Tuesday, saying her father will never see her in cap-and-gown on graduation day, or in her wedding dress, or walk her down the aisle.
“My father did everything and anything for those he loved and held close,” said Hayley. “For him, the pain is over. For me, it may never be and unfortunately, I may have to live with that for the rest of my life.”
Monsour apologized for hurting so many people, especially Hayley, telling her: “I can’t make it up to you. I can’t let your Dad see you in your wedding gown. I will never be able to give you those things.”
The Crown is seeking a seven- to eight-year prison sentence for the crime, calling it an act of vengeance motivated by anger.
Hart’s lawyer Kelly Bradshaw is asking for a four-and-a-half year sentence, followed by three years of probation. With the time Hart has spent in custody, that would allow him to attend Guthrie House therapeutic community in Nanaimo.
B.C. Corrections partners with the John Howard Society to deliver a program for offenders with addictions at the Nanaimo Correctional Centre, she explained, adding Hart has done a lot of rehabilitative work in jail.
Defence lawyer Michael Munro, who is seeking a four-year sentence for his client, told the court Monsour is of Métis heritage and had a troubled upbringing, ending up in foster care at age 13. Monsour has no previous criminal record and has complied meticulously with his bail conditions, his lawyer said, adding that he has supported himself since he was 15, has always been employed and is a good provider for his eight-year-old son.
The attack was the result of poor decision-making, said Munro. Monsour was concerned for Campbell after he’d been arrested for assaulting his wife, but Campbell threatened him and his son in an effort to get Monsour to back off, said Munro.
When Campbell broke the windows of Monsour’s truck and the front window of his apartment, Monsour was unable to get the help he needed from the RCMP, Munro said. He also did not know what Campbell would do next.
“He tried to take the right steps, but he very soon took wrong ones … He wanted to confront a situation that was escalating and he wanted to de-escalate it,” said Munro.
Hart and Monsour armed themselves with hammers because both had heard Campbell was known to carry weapons, he said.
“They acted in concert and things got out of control.”
Judge Lisa Mrozinski is expected to deliver the sentence on Friday morning.
