By Ryan Pilon

Machete attack details released

Dec 15, 2010 | 2:36 PM

More details have been released in Provincial Court involving the incident where a young man attacked a Prince Albert cab driver with a machete.

The Checker Taxi driver, who does not wish to be named, said he picked up the accused on Apr. 23, 2010. While driving, the driver asked the youth to put on his seatbelt.

The cab driver noticed the boy was holding his arm stiffly and the boy, who was 14 at the time, said it was because his arm hurt.

The driver reached to buckle up the boy's seatbelt — that's when the boy struck.

He slashed at the driver with a 23-inch machete, hitting him in the face and arm.

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The shocked driver grabbed the weapon and the boy choked him.

The cab driver was able to get away and luckily, flag down a nearby police cruiser.

Officers chased the boy and caught him. They discovered the boy was not only carrying a machete, but also had 16 bullets in his pocket.

The cab driver received a five-inch laceration through his cheek and his left forearm had been cut down to the muscle. He also lost three teeth and cracked three more.

“I remember chewing my gum, and I could feel pieces of my teeth in there,” he said his police statement.

The driver received 175 stitches and his three cracked teeth will have to be removed.

Court hears youth psychological assessment

In court, the Crown prosecutor said a psychological assessment the boy recieved suggested he has a high risk reoffending.

The prosecutor said the boy, who is now 15, has been involved in a street gang called “West Side” since he was 11 years old. The report also said he is easily influenced and has a drug problem.

The prosecutor told the court some people who had seen the boy prior to the attack said he was carrying not only a machete, but also a .22-calibre rifle and ammunition and that he was planning on robbing a convenience store.

Maximum sentence sought

The Crown is seeking the maximum sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which is a two-year custodial sentence followed by 12 months of probation. The prosecution also asked for an order to take a DNA sample from the boy and include it in a national database.

The defence is seeking a lighter sentence — one year of open custody with 12 months of probation.

His lawyer's said the boy had no previous criminal record and had been on good behavior since being in remand after failing to appear in court earlier this year.

She said the boy planned only to rob the cab driver, not harm him, but panicked when the driver reached towards him to help with the seatbelt. 

His lawyer suggested her client felt the driver was going to touch him inappropriately.

She also said that the boy’s father committed suicide, was also deeply affected by the passing of his grandfather, and was bullied in school.

Sentencing will take place on Dec. 23.

rpilon@panow.com