Cyberbully victim ‘retreated from world’
Crown wants man who pleaded guilty to 65 charges to get an 8-year sentence
He created and impersonated these people solely to cause them harm, invaded their online integrity, posting photos … personal information that was at the core of their online being.
A man who pleaded guilty to 65 charges related to cyberbullying was calculating and malicious when it came to his attacks, a Crown attorney told a sentencing hearing Friday.
Robert James Campbell, 42, began a bullying campaign in 2002 that spanned 12 years and targeted 38 victims, one of whom “lived in an environment of terror and was paralyzed from getting out of bed some days and retreated from the world,” court heard.
Campbell’s defence lawyer, Anna Brylewski, asked Justice Ann Alder to sentence her client to three years in a penitentiary, less time served, where he would have access to the psychiatric help she said he needs. He’s been in jail since July 31, 2014.
The lawyer suggested the fact he does not have a criminal record and has shown remorse and willingness to seek help should be considered as mitigating factors. Also, she cited a psychiatric report suggesting “there is a direct link between his mental health and the offences” and that he suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, is agoraphobic and fits within the autism spectrum.
“There was a relapse in terms of his mental health in 2013-2014,” said Brylewski. “I ask your honour to consider the time frames in this report.”
However, assistant Crown attorney Marie Dufort said an eightyear sentence for the charges that include stalking, identity theft and defamatory libel would be appropriate given the severity and extent of the attacks on the victims.
Despite his mental issues, she said Campbell was organized when it came to stalking the victims, and even kept a file system, doing extensive research on them and even their children to facilitate the fake profiles he created for them online. Also, she said the fact he does not have a criminal record should not be relevant given his crimes spanned more than a decade.
“He created and impersonated these people solely to cause them harm, invaded their online integrity, posting photos … personal information that was at the core of their online being,” said Dufort.
Court heard Campbell quit his Ottawa job in 2001, became a recluse and plotted revenge against people he felt had wronged him.
Though the defence noted that Campbell’s criminal behaviour waned for a few years after 2004 while he sought psychiatric help, the Crown stressed it escalated in 2013 when he created dozens of fake LinkedIn profiles that destroyed the victims’ reputations, presenting his targets as child predators, members of a Nazi party, exotic dancers and prostitutes.
The Crown added that Campbell executed the ongoing attacks with careful efforts to hide his own identity, downloading the security software TOR — a program designed to disguise a person’s IP address, which makes it very difficult to be tracked.
“This calls for general deterrence and denunciation to discourage any member of the public who can decide to so easily to cloak themselves in anonymity, and decide to attack and terrorize victims online,” she said.
After submissions ended Campbell made a statement to the court, once again showing remorse for his actions.
“I deeply regret my behaviour. If I could I would take back what I did in a heartbeat,” he said. “I apologize for the harm that I brought to those that I have hurt. I hope in time you can forgive me, and hope you can go about your lives (knowing) I will never trouble you again.
“I have zero intention or desire to reoffend. As I pay my debt to society I will take every opportunity available for help with my mental health issues. My goal is upon my release, I will become a productive member of the community.”
The defence lawyer took no issue with the Crown’s request for a 10-year weapons prohibition and orders that Campbell supply a DNA sample and have no contact with victims while he is custody. However, she is contesting the victim fine surcharge, which will be $200 for each of the 65 counts.
“That’s a lot of money considering the fact he’s going to be in custody and not have any income,” said Brylewski.
Justice Alder will deliver her sentencing decision on April 16.