David Richard Patrick was jailed on Thursday, March 6 after pleading guilty to three charges in December, including for a damaging beating while wearing steel-toe boots against a downed Nanaimo security guard. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

sentenced

Man jailed for severe Nanaimo beating, drunk driving rampage

Mar 10, 2025 | 5:29 AM

Editors note: this article contains descriptions of severe violence which some readers may find distressing. Discretion is advised.

NANAIMO — A judge hopes treatment can help prevent future violent outbursts by a man responsible for irreversible harm caused to a former Nanaimo security guard.

David Richard Patrick, 39, was jailed for five months, followed by two years’ probation after he entered late guilty pleas to three charges related to high-risk events in Nanaimo and Campbell River.

An enraged and intoxicated Patrick, outfitted with steel-toe boots, severely assaulted a security guard at University Village Shopping Centre on Fifth St. just after midnight on Jan. 12, 2022.

Sentencing arguments last December in Nanaimo heard an unruly Patrick had gotten into an argument with his wife shortly before the unprovoked thuggery.

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After running away from Nanaimo RCMP following a social disorder complaint, an agreed statement of facts heard Patrick returned to the area of 7-Eleven in Nanaimo’s Harewood neighbourhood.

Sensing trouble, the guard dialed 911.

An aggressive Patrick then punched the guard in the face.

Patrick proceeded to violently kick the downed guard as a harrowing 911 recording played in court heard the victim repeatedly screaming and yelling for help.

A portion of the beating was also captured on video surveillance.

Paramedics took the victim to hospital, while Patrick surrendered peacefully to police nearby.

The victim, whom NanaimoNewsNOW chose not to identify, provided a heart-wrenching victim impact statement to the court.

Chronically in pain, unable to work since, and no longer able to play with his young son, the victim informed the court that his life has been forever changed.

He suffers from major depressive disorder, anxiety, fears large crowds and can’t return to the area where he was beaten.

While his right arm prevented potentially severe strikes to his head, constantly blocking kicks caused permanent nerve damage in his arm, along with ongoing and severe pain, court was told.

“Everything has changed in my lifestyle, there is nothing the same anymore,” he wrote.

The man reported being barely able to sleep due to chronic arm pain.

WorkSafeBC helped cover some of his retraining costs to shift to a desk job, however the victim is out significant sums of money.

“There is no end to the struggle because I’m not able to work.”

Patrick, reported to be in a dire financial situation, was ordered to repay the victim $3,500.

Campbell River incident

Six months prior to the Nanaimo attack, Patrick was excessively drunk while speeding his Dodge Ram pick-up through a residential neighbourhood in Campbell River.

Estimated by a witness to be traveling at upwards of 100 kilometers an hour in a 50 km/h subdivision, Patrick passed out and smashed into a pair of parked vehicles, a trailer and street light pole.

Concerned neighbours came outside, where one of them was punched several times in the head by Patrick, who also threatened to kill the innocent bystander.

Patrick removed his shirt, falsely claiming he just got out of the military.

He was arrested and placed into the back of a Campbell River RCMP cruiser.

Patrick, who downed a 26-ounce bottle of vodka prior to driving, smashed his head on the police vehicle’s divider and was verbally abusive toward medical staff at hospital in Campbell River.

While lobbying for a nine-month jail sentence, the Crown’s Tania Holland told December’s hearing that Patrick’s dependency on booze and various hard drugs was highly concerning.

“He hasn’t gone to treatment to deal with his underlying issues and deal with his risk,” she said.

Sentence

Defence attorney Jenis Patel lobbied for a non-custodial sentence, arguing back in December that Patrick “needs help, not jail.”

Patel stated Patrick’s conduct was related to not reacting well to his mother’s death.

Citing Patrick was determined by a psychologist to be a moderately high risk to re-offend, provincial court judge Chris Churchill said a non-custodial sentence was not appropriate in this case.

“Until Mr. Patrick addresses his substance use in a determined fashion, he will be at real risk of re-offending, particularly when he is addressed in stressors of life, particular grief and a breakdown of relationships.”

A psychological assessment of Patrick showed he has bi-polar disorder, PTSD, and various substance disorders: alcohol, hallucinogenic, stimulant, opioid/narcotic.

He also relies on prescription pain medications.

“Untreated medical disorders” and a “long chronic history of illicit drugs, alcohol and poor coping skills,” were flagged during the forensic evaluation.

To his credit, Patrick managed to maintain relative stability throughout his adult life, despite severe substance and mental health issues.

Judge Churchill recommended Patrick serve his sentence at Nanaimo Correctional Centre after the offender pleaded guilty to assault, assault causing bodily harm and impaired driving charges.

The offender was also handed 18 months of post-release probation conditions .

Patrick has a dated and unrelated criminal conviction from 2005.

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