MANDEL: Woman beaten by her neighbour awarded $265,000
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After 20 years of cordial relations, he suddenly became the neighbour from hell.
R.S. was a pillar in her community. Retired at 60, she volunteered at the local homeless shelter, acted as a chaplain for friends and neighbours, walked 10 kilometres a day and spent hours cultivating her beautiful garden. She was also, according to a recent court ruling, an “excellent” neighbour to Edward Cammack, inviting him to dinner, helping him when he was ill and assisting him to fill out his disability forms.
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It all changed in 2020 after someone complained to the local authorities about the state of his yard and Cammack was forced to clean it up. Despite her denials, Cammack became convinced R.S. was behind the complaint.
Now neighbour disputes are not uncommon in our city or any other. At first, it took on the garden variety type of friction: Cammack swore at her and paced outside her window. According to a recent ruling, he became more aggressive in 2021: he stole compost and composters from R.S.’s property in March and frequently trespassed onto her property, shouting profanity and threats including: “I am not done with you.”
His vendetta took a shockingly violent turn on April 14, 2021 while R.S. was gardening in her backyard. Cammack attacked her from behind and kicked her with full force on the back of her head. He then continued to kick and punch her in the head, neck, and upper body while she cried for help.
When other neighbours rushed to her aid, Cammack strode calmly away — but offered this parting threat: “I’m not done with you yet.”
On Jan. 29, 2022, Cammack pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm — but didn’t apologize. He was sentenced to just six months in jail.
The bruising and swelling on her jaw left her unable to eat solid food. She was diagnosed with a concussion and her body was covered with bruises and lacerations.
For three months, the judge wrote, R.S. isolated herself from everyone because she felt that she looked like a monster and she didn’t want to upset the people she loved, including her elderly parents for whom she’d been their primary caregiver. Her mother fell ill soon after and died a few months later.
When Cammack was released from prison, R.S. felt she had no choice but to follow police advice and leave the house and neighbourhood she’d loved for decades.
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“I could not live next to my assailant, at the crime scene, surrounded by daily reminders of the attack, especially when he appeared to show no remorse or regret at his sentencing hearing,” R.S. would later tell the court.
She told few people where she was going, afraid Cammack would learn her new location. She’s been diagnosed with PTSD and severe major depressive disorder.
The criminal court gave him a slap on the wrist. So R.S. sued — and a Toronto judge has just awarded her a tidy sum of $175,000 for non-pecuniary damages and another $78,000 for moving expenses and $12,000 for future psychological care.
“It was a shocking and senseless attack,” wrote Superior Court Justice Lisa Brownstone. “He then refused to express any remorse. Instead, he has repeatedly called (R.S.) a serial liar and a psychopath and threatened that he ‘will make sure she goes to jail.'”
Brownstone found R.S. still suffers from the trauma inflicted by her neighbour. “Her sense of security is irreparably damaged. She suffers debilitating psychological effects from the assault. She is no longer able to enjoy life as she did before. Her relationships have diminished, her activity level reduced. The consequences are very serious.”
It comes when she should be enjoying her retirement years, the judge added. “She is likely to live in fear for the rest of her life.”
Her former neighbour from hell still doesn’t get it — Cammack tried to downplay the effects and even claimed she didn’t have to move.
“Mr. Cammack brutally assaulted (R.S.) in her own backyard, her place of refuge, and, far from expressing remorse or apologizing, said he was not done with her yet. She has real and understandable fear of him,” the judge wrote.
“For Mr. Cammack to suggest she did not need to move shows he still does not understand the gravity of his actions or their consequences on (R.S.).”
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