A1

BOBBI-JEAN MACKINNON
Telegraph-Journal

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

9 Comment(s)

SAINT JOHN - Matthew Charles Keddy used to be a happy young man who was excited about his life.

But according to his family that was before the 25-year-old Canadian Forces Base Gagetown soldier served in Afghanistan. He hasn't been the same since his return from the war-torn country.

He has suffered depression and anxiety, a suicide attempt, and in the summer he assaulted a woman who was then his girlfriend.

"Unfortunately, he was on the front lines in the infantry; he has seen things some of us will probably never see in our lives," his father told a court in Saint John recently, suggesting that his son is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

As Keddy's behaviour was related to the court, the soldier sat in the prisoner's box, holding his head in his hands and rocking back and forth.

He has pleaded guilty to the July 13 assault in Oromocto, and is to be in court today to hear the results of his psychiatric assessment. He had been released on the assault charge pending sentencing after agreeing to not to have any contact with the woman.

But he has since pleaded guilty to violating the order.

In September, he tracked her down in Saint John after she moved away, called her multiple times at both her work and home, and showed up at her apartment door.

In October, Keddy, who had no prior criminal record, was before the court again for breaching an order not to be in Saint John for any reason other than gong to work. And he was picked up on Thanksgiving, threatening to jump off the Reversing Falls Bridge.

He spent five days in the psychiatric ward at the Saint John Regional Hospital and the following weekend at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre.

"We've been dealing with this since he came back" from Afghanistan, his father told the court, his voice shaking as his wife fought back tears and reached for his hand. "It's one of the reasons we moved from Alberta" to Grand Bay-Westfield.

The couple has been seeking help for their youngest child, who has been out on stress leave and is taking anti-anxiety medication, and has been told there are "a number of people in the same situation."

Keddy's case follows comments by a senior military physician for the Atlantic provinces who said that more staff is needed at the mental health clinic at CFB Gagetown.

Cmdr. David Wilcox says an additional uniformed psychiatrist and more psychologists are needed to ensure the base continues to meet national wait time guidelines established by the Canadian Medical Association. Wilcox made the comments in June, while testifying before a House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence about mental health services for soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, Fredericton psychologists Robin Geneau and Joyce Belliveau told the committee that services to treat soldiers at the base who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are in disarray and carried out by unqualified mental health workers.

The standing committee has passed a motion recommending Auditor-General Sheila Fraser conduct a review of all Canadian Forces bases to evaluate services, treatment and care for mental health injuries.

On Oct. 20, duty counsel Margaret Gallagher requested the most recent charge against Keddy be adjourned without plea so a psychiatric assessment to determine whether he was criminally responsible could be conducted at the military base, where he lives.

"I just want to go home (with my parents)," Keddy said.

"If you send me up there (to the base), I'm going to go nuts.

"They say they're going to help me, but they don't help me.

"They don't care. They don't care."

After checking with military officials, Crown prosecutor Catherine McNally informed the court they weren't willing to conduct a psychiatric assessment. She also said they wouldn't "babysit" Keddy if the court planned to release him on house arrest at the barracks pending the assessment.

They would supervise him during his regular working hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and he could report to the duty centre every two hours up until midnight, but he'd be on his own after that.

"He's certainly not a 'baby' when they send him overseas in the middle of that," said a frustrated Judge William McCarroll.

"You'd think they'd ensure he'd get a psychiatric assessment," he added.

McNally said the military has attempted to address Keddy's psychiatric issues.

"(Counselling) programs have been set up for him, but he has not been attending," she said. "They can set these things up, but it's his responsibility to comply."

"If he's mentally ill, maybe he can't," McCarroll suggested.

"He went overseas, saw some terrible things, is suffering from some type of stress situation and he needs help."

"What irks me here is they're setting all the rules and we've got to somehow fit within those rules," he said. The judge also found it strange that no military representative was present for the court proceedings, despite being aware of the charges against Keddy.

"It must be terribly frustrating for you as parents," he said.

"You're really holding your tongues very well."

McCarroll released Keddy on an agreement with the court to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, to remain at the base unless accompanied by a parent, to undergo a psychiatric assessment at the mental health clinic in Saint John, to follow through with any counselling and to take prescribed medications.

"Hang in," McCarroll told Keddy.

Sentencing on the assault charge is scheduled for Burton court on Nov. 24, while sentencing for breaching the no-contact order is slated for Dec. 8, once a pre-sentence report is prepared.