Estevan provincial court was busy this past Monday and Thursday, dealing with several prisoners, and leaving many on remand.
During Monday's proceedings, a show-cause hearing was held for both Searl Smith and Rick Parry, who are accused in the same matter, charged with assault and uttering threats. Parry, of Estevan, is also charged with impaired driving, but it is not related to the other charges that led to his arrest.
The pair appeared last Thursday before Monday's hearing. As a result of the hearing, Smith, a Midale resident, was released on conditions that he not contact Parry or the complainant, reside in an approved residence and not possess or use firearms.
Presiding Judge Karl Bazin ordered a bail verification report for Parry, so he was remanded to June 4 for a decision on whether or not he will be released.
Three co-accused individuals charged with aggravated assault also appeared on Monday. Show-cause hearings were held for Dean Lacharity, Dean Smith and Dale Smith on May 22, and all have been remanded. They were charged after an alleged attack on another man on May 18 who was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, before being transferred to Regina.
On Monday, Lacharity's counsel entered a not guilty plea and selected trial by Court of Queen's Bench with a judge and jury. He will be back June 4 to set a date for preliminary inquiry.
The Smiths adjourned their matters to June 7 to enter pleas and make elections for a possible trial.
In proceedings from last Thursday, Mark Davis, who has been charged with six other people in relation to an alleged kidnapping that took place in May 2011, was in custody after being arrested for alleged breaches of his release conditions. The Crown would not release Davis Thursday and said they would be proceeding by indictment for these new charges.
After being remanded to Monday, the Crown agreed to his release under the same conditions he was already under. He will next appear for his preliminary hearing, which begins July 23.
On Monday, Bobby Joe Dickau was in custody after he was arrested for breaching conditions. Dickau, who is to appear before the Court of Queen's Bench on drug trafficking charges, also faces charges of laundering the proceeds of crime and breaching release conditions. He was remanded in custody until June 4.
A 17-year-old male youth in custody was sentenced on Monday, charged with sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, break and enter and committing an indictable offence therein and a number of breaches of conditions.
He entered guilty pleas to the charges, which came about when he was 16.
The break and enter charges stem from an incident in which he and another youth broke into the concession at the Cactus Park ball diamonds, breaking windows and disturbing some equipment. The matter was moved to alternative measures, but after he failed to complete the conditions of the mediation, it was sent back to youth court.
The sexual interference and invitation to touching occurred at home, and the victims were younger siblings who were six and seven years old. The Crown prosecutor went over the circumstances noting the youth touched their genitals and had them touch his.
The defence and Crown agreed on terms of a six-month open custody sentence, in which he will spend time at the Dojack Youth Centre in Regina and receive counselling there. A mandatory DNA order was also made, and he will be under a two-year firearms prohibition.
