Man describes family’s trauma after neighbour threatened to kill dogs

Victim impact statement presented Monday at sentencing hearing of Everett Watkins

A St. John’s man who previously stood by his threat to hurt his neighbour’s dogs if they approached him again told the court Monday, May 16, he now realizes he had misinterpreted the law.

Everett Watkins addressed the court at his sentencing hearing in St. John’s, telling provincial court Judge Lori Marshall he shouldn’t have handled the situation with his neighbour the way he did, and he was sorry for it.

He made the comment after Marshall read aloud a victim impact statement written by the neighbour, in which he described one of the animals as a therapy dog purchased for his family upon learning of his wife’s cancer diagnosis. She died in 2018.

“The dogs are invaluable to the well-being of myself and my family,” the man wrote.

In February, Marshall found Watkins, 67, guilty of threatening the dogs.

Watkins’ neighbour testified he had arrived home one afternoon last summer to hear from his family that their seven-month-old golden retriever had gotten outside and scared a man. Later that evening, he saw Watkins walking back and forth in front of his house, dragging a stick. The neighbour said he went outside to apologize to Watkins, who told him that he would kill the dog next time.

Another neighbour testified seeing Watkins walking back and forth in front of the dog owner’s property with a stick, stabbing at a hedge with it, and later carrying a pitchfork. He told the court he had asked Watkins what he was doing with the pitchfork, and Watkins said he was protecting himself because he had been bitten by the dog and if the dog came out again, he would kill it.

Watkins’ wife described walking with him when a dog, determined to be a Maltese, frightened her by barking and baring its teeth. Another dog, later determined to be the golden retriever puppy, stuck its head out from under the hedge, barking and making a biting motion at Watkins’ pants leg. She said Watkins had directed a young girl to tell her parents if the dogs came out again, he would be prepared and have something to fight them with and they would be hurt.

Watkins gave the court details of hitting the Maltese, which he thought belonged to the puppy owner, on another occasion, and knocking it unconscious with his walking stick. He said he believed a dog barking and approaching was the same in a court of law as biting, and the province’s Animal Health and Protection

Act gave him the authority to defend himself by whatever means necessary.

“It’s a stern warning and, your honour, the warning still remains. If the dogs attack me, they’re going to get hurt,” Watkins testified.

Upon finding Watkins guilty, Marshall was clear: the law doesn’t work that way.

Prosecutor Kellie Cullihall suggested a suspended sentence and 12 months of probation for Watkins, acknowledging his lack of criminal record but pointing out Watkins had intended to intimidate, had made a point to visit his neighbour’s property and had involved his neighbour’s 12-year-old daughter.

Defence lawyer Robert Escott stressed his client’s lack of criminal record, his co-operation with police and his need for a clear background check for his work as an engineer, suggesting a conditional discharge with six to 12 months of probation.

The judge read Watkins’ neighbour’s victim impact statement aloud. In it, he described his three children — especially his daughter — as being traumatized by the events, and the family’s discomfort living near Watkins.

“I find myself looking out the front window sometimes, expecting to see him patrolling up and down the front of my house like he did that night, brandishing a weapon menacingly,” the neighbour wrote.

“His lack of remorse leads me to believe that man cannot be trusted.”

Watkins told the court he had not known his neighbour had lost his wife and he understands why the man would have dogs watching his house.

“I feel very, very sorry for (him). It makes me very sad,” Watkins said. “I should not have handled it the way I did.”

Marshall will return with her decision June 17.