Probation for senior who caused house explosion
The senior citizen who unwittingly caused an explosion that levelled his Hamilton home in an attempt to end his life will not spend time in jail.
Instead, Justice George Gage ruled Murdoch Campbell will serve 12 months of probation for causing the blast on Gibson Avenue on Oct. 24, 2017.
“I accept that you were in an extremely low state of mind when this occurred, “Gage told Campbell on Thursday.
Court heard Campbell, 76, had fallen into a deep depression after his wife of 44 years died in the months before the explosion.
Grief-stricken, socially isolated and suffering from sleepless nights, he tried to kill himself by letting natural gas fill the air of his basement.
“He didn’t know that that would happen. He only meant to hurt himself,” his daughter, Joy Welsh, said after the hearing.
“He felt awful about what happened,” she added through tears.
Campbell, who is blind and has a profound hearing loss, entered the courtroom guided by his service dog, Flannel, and accompanied by Welsh and two friends.
He pleaded guilty to one count of arson by negligence.
Defence lawyer Jeffrey Manishen noted nobody else was hurt in the blast, but his client had lost his longtime home since insurance won’t cover the damage after his conviction.
“He’s essentially lost everything, certainly from the standpoint of the home and the contents.”
Campbell, who doesn’t have a previous criminal record, is also on the hook for paying the $11,630 cost of a technical safety assessment of his property.
He expressed remorse to police, telling them he had been “stupid,” Manishen noted.
Specially trained firefighters found Campbell buried under rubble in his home. Flannel, a black Lab, was also rescued.
Gas between Birch Avenue, Sherman Avenue North, Cannon Street and Princess Street was shut down.
Court heard the fire marshal’s investigation wasn’t able to determine the source of ignition before the explosion.
Campbell was taken to Hamilton General Hospital and then St. Joseph’s Healthcare, where he underwent mental health treatment.
That attention and medication was of “considerable benefit” to his client, Manishen said.
Campbell was released from hospital on a surety. He now lives in an apartment and receives visits from a personal support worker.
Assistant Crown attorney Steve O’Brien agreed Campbell was at a “low ebb” in his life at the time of his suicide attempt.
Had someone else been injured, however, “we would have been in a difficult criminal law situation,” O’Brien added.
Gage, upon sentencing, told Campbell, “fortunately for you, that did not happen,” calling the facts of the case “highly unique circumstances.”
After the hearing, Welsh said her dad, who goes by Murdie, has resumed his regular activities.
That includes cleaning up litter in Grace Campbell Lane, named after his wife, who’s remembered as a longtime neighbourhood volunteer.
“He’s a good man and he’s doing much better,” Welsh said.