A former St. Albert pawnshop owner who nearly severed a man's ear with an axe during a robbery in 2010 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth Angus Campbell received the sentence in an Edmonton court Thursday afternoon.
After a three-day trial in March, 59-year-old Campbell was found guilty of aggravated assault, robbery and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.
The charges stemmed from a March 1, 2010 incident whereby Campbell assaulted 78-year-old David Woolfson with an axe, nearly amputating his ear. At the time Woolfson was the owner of A1 Trading Pawnshop in Edmonton.
That day Campbell visited the store twice. The first time, he selected an axe from a display case and placed it on the counter, saying he was going to buy it. He left the store without the axe.
Campbell came back that afternoon and again put the axe on the counter. He then offered to help Woolfson close up shop by wheeling inside several bicycles displayed on the sidewalk.
While Woolfson had his back turned, Campbell hit him in the back of the head with the hatchet, nearly severing his ear.
Crown prosecutor Avril Inglis said Campbell “left him for dead.”
“He was sprawled out on the floor behind the counter in his own blood,” she said of Woolfson, who was found by three customers that came in after the closed sign was up.
Woolfson’s ear was reattached later that day with 68 stitches.
Before leaving, Campbell also stole an estimated $50,000 in jewelry and cash.
In his victim impact statement, Woolfson said he sold his business of 17 years shortly after the attack because "I just wanted out."
He said he's still experiencing memory loss and must now use a hearing aid. He is also suffering from depression.
"I seem to be completely lost and living without purpose," his statement said.
Woolfson was in court Thursday when the decision was handed down.
In an interview, the 78-year-old said Campbell got what he deserved.
"I feel sorry for him. He's not in the prime of his life, he has a family and he's going to be put away for 10 years," he said of Campbell. "But he got what he deserved because ... this was premeditated. There was nothing casual about this assault. He knew what he was doing."
“This was the worst thing that has ever happened to me.”
Court of Queen's Bench Justice David Gates described the attack as "brutal and cold-blooded.”
He noted the “cunning and sly” nature of the attack as Campbell had been “casing the joint” since he pawned a generator at the store a week prior.
At the time of the attack, Campbell was on medical leave from his work as a heavy equipment operator in St. Albert.
For many years he operated the city’s only pawnshop, St. Albert Loans and Exchange. In 2004, police raided the store and found several items of stolen property. He was granted a conditional discharge.
In 2009, Campbell pleaded guilty to fraud in relation to an online auction site he ran. Several people claimed they put their goods up for sale on the site and never received payment after they were sold. Campbell received a six-month jail term.
For the attack on Woolfson, Campbell was given a sentence of 10 years as well as a 10-year firearms prohibition. He has nine years and four months left to serve.
