Gregory Collins leaves provincial court in Nanaimo after being convicted to attacking his former landlord with a hatchet. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

guilty

Tenant convicted of Gabriola Island hatchet attack against 81-year-old man

Jun 27, 2024 | 5:34 AM

NANAIMO — A provincial court judge called the version of events of a man charged in a disturbing 2022 attack “nonsensical” and “a complete utter fabrication.”

Gregory Francis Collins, 72, was found guilty of aggravated assault by judge Brian Harvey on Tuesday, June 25 in relation to an April 3, 2022 confrontation with the now 84-year-old victim.

The complainant testified during the two-day trial in April that Collins had recently moved into a trailer on his South Rd. property and that he owed him money soon after.

He responded by shutting off the power to Collins’ trailer and then returned home where he told the court he was pushed to the ground by Collins, who then sat on his stomach.

Collins then swung a hatchet several times, resulting in gashes to the complainant’s head.

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He managed to grab the weapon, leading to cuts on his hands from the hatchet blade.

Collins was arrested later that evening and taken to the ferry terminal to leave the Island as part of his release conditions.

The complainant was left with serious injuries.

At trial, the arresting officer testified there was no indication the men involved were intoxicated.

Collins, who was represented by legal counsel, outlined a much different story at trial on the witness stand.

He contended the victim initiated the physical encounter by viciously kneeing him in the groin and then grabbing his testicles.

Collins told the court he was then punched multiple times.

When asked by the investigating Gabriola Island Mountie how the victim got two large cuts on his head, Collins responded: “I have no idea.”

Collins contended the injuries sustained by his former landlord were self-inflicted.

Judge Harvey ruled Collins’ account didn’t align with the evidence.

“The complainant at all times was unarmed, and in my view, was not looking for nor expecting a physical struggle with the accused who was carrying a Swedish brush axe allegedly paid for by someone the accused cannot provide a name for.”

Judge Harvey rejected Collins’ contention that he was carrying the weapon just prior to the altercation because he was cutting tree limbs for his woodstove.

Collins testified he dropped the hatchet near the fight scene, however it was not located until nearly a month later when the victim reported finding it stashed behind the toilet in Collins’ trailer.

The judge said Collins’ account was “a complete rouse” to set up a possible self-defence argument.

“The accused’s testimony lacked any semblance of credibility. His testimony was a cold and calculated machination which had had no air of reality,” judge Harvey said toward the end of his 45-minute-long decision.

Collins will be sentenced at a yet-to-be-determined date.

He’s not in custody and declined to comment to NanaimoNewsNOW after being found guilty.

Collins has a limited and dated criminal record in the province.

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Ian.holmes@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes