More than five years after he was shot by his step-father and on the road to recovery, James Hyderman was beaten by thugs and bit by a dog in Belle River over an unpaid debt.
Hyderman, 25, was awarded $7,000 Friday by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for pain and suffering stemming from a June 28, 2011 assault.
“He doesn’t leave my house,” said Mary Reaume, Hyderman’s mother. “He’s gone through a hard life, yes. His sleeping was in control. We worked really hard to get to this point and it was taken away.”
Reaume, Hyderman and his brother were shot in December 2005 by Ken Reaume, Hyderman’s step-father, who later killed himself. It took Hyderman years to recover from the shooting, Reaume said. By 2011, Hyderman had kicked his dependence on pain medication, was sleeping through the night and living away from home. Now he’s a recluse who rarely leaves his bedroom.
On June 28, 2011 Hyderman met his grandmother for lunch in Belle River at her house. He didn’t like the food so he went to Notre Dame Street to get some takeout. While walking, a man he knew called his name. Hyderman hadn’t spoken to the man in at least four years.
“I went up to them because we were friends back some time,” Hyderman said. “I didn’t expect what was going to happen to me. They started yelling at me. This one friend hit me in the head and then set the dog after me, chewing on my arm, and when I got up, (the other man) kicked me in the face.”
The men demanded money and jewelry so that Hyderman could pay a $400 debt he owed to a guy in Calgary for weed he bought in 2007.
The names of the offenders were not disclosed at the hearing Friday. Both men were convicted of assault; one served 30 days, while the other received a 100-day sentence.
The dog, a Boxer, chewed Hyderman’s arm and its teeth punctured the skin. The wound did not require stitches. The punch and kick to the face broke Hyderman’s nose, which eventually required surgery because it didn’t heal properly. Hyderman said he suffers migraines and sinus problems that he never had before the attack.
Hyderman said he now has a fear of dogs, suffers from anxiety attacks and is paralyzed by fear when walking down a street since one convicted offender was spotted following Hyderman in a car.
During his recuperation from the assault, Hyderman wasn’t allowed any pain medication because of his previous drug abuse, Reaume said. When asked how he coped with the pain, Hyderman said, “not very good.”
Board member Keith Forde asked about the post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis in the case file. Lawyer Preet Singh said the PTSD was the result of the shooting.
