Skip to content

Neighbour dispute turns ugly when man allegedly hit with stool

A simmering dispute between neighbours turned ugly when one of them tossed a metal stool at the other from a balcony, resulting in a serious eye injury, Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench heard on Friday.

A simmering dispute between neighbours turned ugly when one of them tossed a metal stool at the other from a balcony, resulting in a serious eye injury, Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench heard on Friday.

George Alan Pomeroy, 45, of Red Deer was sentenced to three months in jail and placed on probation for two years during a sentence hearing. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2011, following a preliminary hearing.

The sentence will be served on weekends and Pomeroy must pay $2,464 in restitution to the victim for lost wages. He has already paid restitution to the victim, Shad Stagness, 29, for ambulance fees.

Justice Monica Bast heard the ongoing dispute boiled over on Sept. 14, 2008, when Stagness threw a bag of garbage, which broke on a lawn the pair shared.

While the victim was picking up the debris, the two exchanged words and Pomeroy was challenged to come down to the ground and fight.

Instead, he tossed a metal bar stool over the balcony and it struck the victim in the left eye, fracturing the orbital bone and resulting in a temporary loss of sight.

Crown prosecutor Denis Huot told court the agreed statement of facts worked out with defence lawyer Rory Ziv of Edmonton indicated that Pomeroy only threw the chair in an attempt to scare the victim.

Pomeroy told court he “didn’t mean to do this. It was totally an accident.”

Ziv indicated the immediate facial reconstructive surgery on Stagness’s eye restored his sight.

Pomeroy has a year to repay the lost wages.

Bast heard Pomeroy had an old record for violence, serving 14 months in jail for assault-related offences in Newfoundland about 15 years ago.

Pomeroy must also surrender a sample of his DNA, pay a $100 surcharge and is banned from owning weapons or explosives for 10 years.

jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com