Man admits he beat woman with her own cane

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/03/02/13088106-qmi.html

An Edmonton man who admitted viciously beating a disabled woman with her own cane – leaving her with a shattered face and too scared to go out – has been locked up.

Dennis Jeffrey Perrot, 45, was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday in provincial court after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, uttering death threats and assault.

“You destroyed her life in many ways,” said Judge Albert Chrumka, adding there was almost a “touch of evil” to the unprovoked attack inflicted on the 62-year-old victim.

The judge also said he found the sentence, a joint submission by Crown and defence, to be a “bit low” and refused to give Perrot any credit for the four months he spent in pre-trial custody at the Edmonton Remand Centre.

Crown prosecutor Marisa Anderson told court Perrot had gone over to his ex-wife’s residence on Oct. 20 after being assaulted by some men and they began arguing about his lifestyle as she tended to his injuries.

Meanwhile, the woman’s friend, Margaret Darbel, was sitting in the living room selecting a ring tone for her cell phone and the noise “irritated” Perrot, said Anderson.

Perrot began to argue with the woman, who has difficulty walking as a result of suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, and he grabbed her copper cane and began repeatedly striking her about the head and face, said Anderson.

As Darbel was bleeding profusely from her face, Perrot’s ex-wife tried to remove him and was pushed into a wall.

Police were called and Darbel was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where she was treated for severe facial lacerations, two black eyes, a broken nose, a broken cheekbone and a broken orbital socket.

Court heard Perrot also threatened Darbel by saying he would “cut her throat with a knife” if she called police.

“This was a brutal and vicious attack on someone who was defenceless,” said Anderson, adding Perrot has a “violent and disturbing” lengthy criminal record.

Darbel told court she used to be outgoing and was active doing both work and volunteer activities.

“Now I’m a recluse and staying in my home because I’m scared to death that someone would be after me,” said Darbel, adding she can’t see well due to the injuries near her eye and her cheek is completely numb.

“Emotionally I’m not the same,” she said. “I’m scared to death to go outside.”