Court documents reveal lasting agony of assault on Saskatchewan woman

Bird was found barely conscious in a downtown parking lot on June 1, 2014. She suffered third-degree burns and was so badly injured that doctors had to remove both of her legs.

Half of her forehead down to her chin was lacerated and she was left with permanent eyesight damage.

Bird writes that she can’t do anything on her own anymore, including simple things such as picking blueberries or going to the bathroom.

She wears adult diapers and can’t control her bowels, and she feels disgusted with herself when she can’t make it to the bathroom in time.

A Prince Albert man, Leslie Ivan Black, has since pleaded guilty to attempted murder. The Crown is seeking to have him declared a dangerous offender — a designation which could put him in prison indefinitely.

At a court hearing last month about the designation, a psychologist testified Black is not necessarily at a high risk to reoffend if he gets intensive, long-term therapy.

But a psychiatrist told the hearing that officials can’t presume to understand Black and what he’s capable of, given what he did to Bird, even though he had no history of violence.

Black, who remains in custody at the Regina Correctional Centre, apologized for the attack and said if he could go back to the night it happened, he would have taken his father’s advice and stayed home.

He also said he understands that Bird and her family have not forgiven him, and he accepts any sentence he’s given.

The hearing is to continue with submission of briefs and formal arguments from both sides in May. (CTV Saskatoon, The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Court documents reveal lasting agony of assault on Saskatchewan woman

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