Psychologist says imprisonment would hurt recovery of convicted soldier

SHILO, Man. – A psychologist says jailing a retired soldier convicted in a fatal training accident would add to his depression and hurt his recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dr. Trudi Walsh has testified at Paul Ravensdale’s sentencing hearing that he has had difficulty with crowds and strangers ever since his tours in Afghanistan.

She told the court martial in Shilo, Man., that Ravensdale has been working hard to get better and is a good person.

The former warrant officer was convicted last month on four charges, including negligence of duty causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The charges stem from a weapons exercise that went wrong near Kandahar city three years ago.

The military prosecutor and the defence have yet to say what sentence they will seek.

Ravensdale was leading a test of C-19 anti-personnel mines on a weapons range when one mine misfired and sent hundreds of steel ball bearings in the wrong direction. Instead of fanning out forwards, the bearings shot backwards toward soldiers who were watching.

Some of the projectiles hit and killed Cpl. Josh Baker, who was 24, and four other soldiers were injured.

Ravensdale was convicted of ignoring the operating manual for C-19 mines, as well as for neglecting Canadian Forces training safety rules, which require soldiers to be at least 100 metres behind the mines or shielded from them.

Walsh testified Wednesday that the accident, along with the deaths of some of his friends during an earlier tour in Afghanistan, have left a mark on Ravensdale.

“He has significant difficulty trusting people,” she said.

“It will take a long time, with dedicated treatment, for him to get better.”

Walsh said she has worked with Ravensdale for the last two years to address his anxiety and depression. He is on medication and is learning to adapt to crowds by making excursions into shopping centres and other public areas. He also is cared for by professionals at a Winnipeg clinic who specialize in post-traumatic stress disorder.

“If he is incarcerated, he would no longer have access to that specialized treatment.”

Under cross-examination, Walsh acknowledged that she has not been in a jail or prison recently and has only a “general knowledge of how things work.”

Ravensdale faced the most serious charges stemming from the accident because he gave the order to fire and was also the safety officer on the weapons range that day. Days after the accident, he told a military investigator he had no idea why the mine misfired. He said the blast was much louder than it should have been and “all hell broke loose.”

His lawyer told the court martial last month that Ravensdale was following a training plan that had been approved by his superiors and could not have foreseen the accident.

Two of Ravensdale’s superiors have already been convicted in the wake of the accident.

Maj. Darryl Watts was demoted two ranks to lieutenant and given a severe reprimand on charges of negligence and unlawfully causing bodily harm.

Maj. Christopher Lunney was demoted one rank to captain and given a severe reprimand after pleading guilty to negligent performance of duty.