Sexual assault charge brought against PhD student on trial for attempted murder
The strange case of an international student at Memorial University accused of a botched murder-suicide took another turn this week, after he was charged with sexual assault in a separate incident.
The man's identity is covered by a publication ban in his ongoing attempted murder trial at Supreme Court in St. John's.
It's alleged he sexually assaulted somebody in December of 2017, seven months after the alleged attempted murder took place.
While the charge stems from an allegation nearly two years ago, it was only laid this week. It also came with new charges for breaching court-ordered conditions.
The man appeared in court Tuesday and was released on more conditions. He'll appear again on Nov. 29 to answer to the new charges.
The man has tangled with the justice system for more than two years. He came to Newfoundland and Labrador to work toward a PhD in engineering, but things went downhill soon after.
Along with the attempted murder charge, he was also accused of trying to poison that same person. That case was dismissed last March due to a lack of evidence.
He's also charged with theft for allegedly stealing from a Winners location while out on bail.
His attempted murder trial is set to continue in December, when defence lawyer Mark Gruchy will begin to call evidence.
The accused's deteriorating mental health, as well as his relationship with the complainant, have been central to his trial thus far.
The trial has seen some unusual events, including a field trip to Signal Hill with Justice Vikas Khaladkar. In his 42 years practicing law, Khaladkar said it was the first time he'd staged trial proceedings outdoors.
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