A man convicted last fall of drugging his wife addressed the court through a TV screen from prison Monday, saying he had one wish: to rebuild his family and move forward.
“All I want, through all the suffering we have endured, is a chance to rebuild and to strengthen and to allow (his now ex-wife) and myself to become Nanny and Poppy again, and Mom and Dad,” Mark Rumboldt said.
“The whole process and the trial itself has divided our immediate family. Our sons in particular have had to choose sides in the process. Our oldest son has lost communication with (the woman). She has not seen our granddaughter. I’m very troubled by this situation.”
Rumboldt, 58, was speaking at his sentencing in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in St. John’s. Justice David Hurley acknowledged Rumboldt’s sentiments and said he was taking them into consideration, but added no matter what sentence he imposed, it would not erase the damage that had been done.
"All I want, through all the suffering we have endured, is a chance to rebuild and to strengthen and to allow (his now ex-wife) and myself to become Nanny and Poppy again, and Mom and Dad." — Mark Rumboldt
“Regardless of the ultimate sentence that the court will determine to be appropriate, it will not undo the harm that has been done to (the woman), her family, the Rumboldt family and their friends and associates,” the judge said. “This would not be possible. This is not the purpose of a sentence. The court cannot reverse the impact of Mr. Rumboldt’s conduct.”
Hurley sentenced Rumboldt to three years in prison, minus credit at a rate of 1.5 days for every day he has spent in pre-sentencing custody since his conviction Oct. 6.
A jury found Rumboldt not guilty of attempting to murder his wife but guilty of administering a noxious substance to her, namely Ativan and sleeping pills.
During Rumboldt's trial, the woman told the court they had been having trouble in their marriage and had been seeing a counsellor for about three months as of Jan. 22, 2016. That night, the couple had decided to have a quiet night at home with homemade pizza and some drinks, she said. The woman told the court Rumboldt had poured her two glasses of wine and ran her a bath. While she was in the tub, she said, he came into the bathroom and collapsed on the floor.
The woman said she remembered jumping up and telling him that she was going to call 911, but had no other memory until two days later, when police told her of the allegation against her husband.
Paramedics and police officers arrived after the woman's 911 call, in which she said her husband had taken Ativan and was drinking, and found the couple intoxicated, but saw no sign of anything that would explain their extreme level of impairment. They were both taken to hospital.
Rumboldt had been discharged before his wife and took a seat by her bedside. At one point a nurse went to check on the woman and found Rumboldt holding a facecloth to her mouth. When the cloth was moved, the nurse noted a white residue and what appeared to be pieces of pills in the woman's mouth. She called for the doctor and two other nurses, and a sweep of the woman's mouth revealed a fluid later found to contain Ativan, a sleeping pill and codeine. A pill bottle belonging to Rumboldt was found on her bed, and a bag containing more medications prescribed to him was found underneath her blanket.
Giving her victim impact statement in court last month, the woman said Rumboldt’s actions had changed her life forever and have had disastrous and far-reaching consequences. She spoke of suffering from immense stress, anxiety and self-esteem issues, fearing for her safety, and no longer trusting her own judgment of people. She said she hadn’t returned to the home she shared with Rumboldt since the night she was taken away in ambulance.
“There was a significant degree of intent, planning and pre-meditation and a sustained period of operation." — Crown prosecutor Scott Hurley
The woman grew emotional when she spoke of fractured relationships within her family, saying it was the most upsetting consequence of the situation.
“I did not want this. I did not want to be here. I never wished to see the boys’ dad in prison,” she said. “While every day is still painful, it is time for us here to move on and seek peace and healing.”
Prosecutor Scott Hurley was looking for a two-to-three-year jail term for Rumboldt, while defence lawyer Jeff Brace had suggested a term of 12 to 18 months. The maximum possible jail sentence for the charge is 14 years.
Hurley noted Rumboldt’s lack of a prior criminal record and a positive pre-sentencing report, which deemed him a very low risk to re-offend, as significant factors in sentencing. He also recognized certain aggravating issues.
“There was a significant degree of intent, planning and pre-meditation and a sustained period of operation,” Hurley said. “By committing the offence, he abused and injured his spouse. Another aggravating factor is the impact on the victim is significant and will be longterm.”
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
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