By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Sentencing delayed in brutal sexual assault case

Dec 13, 2017 | 11:45 AM

LETHBRIDGE – A major backlog of patients at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre, has forced sentencing to be pushed back for Denzel Dre Colton Bird.

He pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated sexual assault, break and enter and theft last September, admitting to a brutal attack on a 25-year-old Lethbridge woman in September of 2016. Sentencing was then scheduled for January.

The court was informed of the need for a delay Wednesday morning, Dec. 13, by Crown prosecutor Erin Olsen. She cited a letter written by a doctor at the centre, who stated that a forensic psychiatric assessment for Bird still hasn’t been started, as he is on a waiting list. The doctor then asked for a 60-day extension to complete the report. It was noted in the letter that the centre has had 44 emergency admissions in the last six months.

Olsen also asked for the court to order a full Gladue report to be completed for Bird – which will take into account his Aboriginal heritage – as the one that was part of his pre-sentence report yielded little information.

After both requests were granted, sentencing was adjourned to Mar. 28, 2018.

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Full details of the case were read into the court record as part of Bird’s guilty plea. He admitted that on the morning of Sept. 30, 2016, he struck the victim in the back of the head with a metal pipe, after she walked by him on the street. He then dragged her into an alley – acknowledging that he knew she was badly injured – and proceeded to sexually assault her. After the attack, he tried putting the victim into a garbage bin that he tipped onto its side, then tossed her clothing and the pipe nearby.

While he initially denied any involvement after being taken into custody by Lethbridge Police, he eventually broke down, admitting to everything.

The victim suffered multiple skull and facial fractures, a severe traumatic brain injury, numerous cuts and bruises and swallowed one of her teeth.

Olsen stated that the woman has made significant strides in her recovery, but still has issues with walking, balance and speech, and has no memory of the attack.

It was also noted by Olsen that additional charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and sexual assault with a weapon will be addressed at sentencing.