Duo await sentencing in Bona Vista Campground harassment case

Close to 30 individuals filled a Pembroke courtroom on August 25 in support of the Seguins when Acting Crown Attorney Lori Crewe and Defence Counsel Dan Howard presented their respective sentencing submissions in relation to a seven-year campaign of physical and verbal harassment waged by the Deschambaults against the campground owners.

The sentencing hearing was held following a trial earlier this year where both defendants were found guilty of several charges relating to the long dispute between the defendants and the Seguins who purchased Bona Vista Campground from the pair in 2019. The campground, located west of Cobden, was originally owned by Mrs. Deschambault and her late husband who sold the property for just over $1 million.

During the trial earlier this year, both Denis and Bonnie Seguin testified they called the Ontario Provincial Police more than 100 times because of the behaviour of the defendants. Since that time, a number of complaints were heard in court, and as a result, Mr. Deschambault was placed on probation following his repeated appearances before former local Justice Michael March and Justice Jeffery Richardson after both Justices ruled findings of guilt.

Acting Crown Attorney Argues For Incarceration

Ms. Crewe presented two separate arguments for incarceration for the defendants. In the case of Louise Deschambault, her recommendations for each of the charges were 45 days’ custody. Her recommendation consisted of 45 days on the fail to comply with an undertaking; 45 days concurrent on causing a disturbance; 45 days concurrent on obstructing a Peace Officer and 30 days concurrent on each mischief conviction.

In the matter of Richard Deschambault, her recommendations called for 180 days’ custody on all charges. Ms. Crewe itemized the charges, requesting 45 days consecutive on the first, second, third and fourth count of failing to comply with probation, on the count of failing to comply with a release order, and 45 days concurrent on the count of obstructing a Peace Officer.

During her closing remarks, Ms. Crewe argued for a three-year probation period for both defendants with several conditions included to help guarantee an end to the verbal and physical harassment they inflicted on the Seguins.

Among the conditions she requested were a non-communication order in any way with Bonnie and Denis Seguin, their adult children, or with any campers or visitors to the Bona Vista Campground.

During the trial, a photo of a sign made by Mrs. Deschambault was entered as evidence. The sign included several uses of the word F**K and was mounted on a wall leading directly into the campground and visible to anyone entering the site.

Ms. Crewe argued that neither defendant display any sign within 50 meters of the Seguins’ property and not to engage in any social media activity related to the Seguins, their adult children, the campground or its visitors or campers. Ms. Crewe also requested they not be allowed to possess any weapons.

As part of her sentencing submissions, Ms. Crewe called on three individuals to read their Victim Impact Statements (VIS) into the official record.

Victim Impact Statements

Denis Seguin addressed the court and much of his statement dealt with the fear and helplessness he felt in terms of protecting his wife from Richard and Louise Deschambault.

He said his secondary job required him to travel to and from Ottawa and he stated whenever his cellphone rang and his wife’s name was identified, he immediately thought his wife had been injured or verbally attacked by the defendants. As a husband, he felt guilty and helpless each day he drove to Ottawa with the knowledge his wife was alone and was often confronted by the defendants despite court orders forbidding both of them from communicating with her.

Ms. Seguin, who held her husband’s hand throughout the entire hearing, was called upon to read her VIS after her husband finished.

“Your Honour, for seven years we have had no peace … what we have experienced at the hands of Richard and Louise Deschambault is not one incident, one disagreement, or one bad period of our lives,” she said. “For seven years, we have had no real peace, and what frightens me more is that since 2019, these incidents have escalated.

“No one should live like this. I am not only afraid for myself, I fear for my family, our campers, and their children and our visitors. I now take precautions to protect myself because I do not know what these individuals will do next. I now take precautions for my personal safety that I never imagined would be part of my everyday life.

“Most importantly, after seven years, I want to finally feel safe again,” she concluded. “My fear is that without an end to this behaviour, the next incident may not end with damaged property or words. Someone could be seriously hurt, or worse.”

When Ms. Crewe called on Eganville Leader reporter Bruce McIntyre to read his VIS, Mr. Howard rose and objected to his statement being allowed to be entered as evidence. He said the statement could be viewed as prejudicial and highly unusual as it was outside the scope of a regular VIS.

Ms. Crewe responded to the objection stating that over a period of 12 years, Mr. McIntyre has regularly reported on several criminal matters and at no time was his reporting prejudicial to either the Crown or Defence Counsels. She added the contents of Mr. McIntyre’s VIS was part of the court’s mandate to inform the public of court proceedings.

Justice Fraser allowed the VIS to be read in court and while he agreed Mr. McIntyre’s VIS was highly unusual, he allowed it to be read aloud.

Mr. McIntyre’s statement described how the actions of the defendants resulted in his reporting purposely withheld from publication out of fear of retaliation by the defendants against himself or employees of the Eganville Leader.

“Throughout my 12 years of reporting on a variety of criminal matters before the court, I have never felt fearful for my own personal safety, or the safety of my fellow employees of the Eganville Leader,” he told the court. “That was the case until I began investigating and reporting on the Louise and Richard Deschambault matters.

“The Deschambault matter is the only instance of purposely withholding a court story I have written and did not appear in print. My filed story was not published, and thousands of Ottawa Valley residents were denied access to a public court case specifically out of the potential of violent repercussions committed by/or on behalf of Richard and/or Louise Deschambault.”

After Mr. McIntyre completed his statement, Louise Deschambault stood up in the gallery and held up a copy of the July 1 edition of the Leader containing Mr. McIntyre’s reporting on an earlier court hearing.

“When do I get a chance to talk about this?” she asked.

Justice Fraser immediately ordered her to remain seated and stay silent while court was in session. She immediately defied his order and continued to ask about what was going on and wanted to make a statement.

Justice Fraser ordered her to remain silent or he would instruct an OPP Special Court Officer to remove her from the courtroom.

She complied with his third order.

Justice Fraser told the court he had a great deal of evidence and sentencing submissions to consider and informed all those in attendance he would deliver his sentencing on September 3. He also cautioned the defendants to adhere to proper conduct while in a courtroom.