A Saskatchewan judge has dismissed an application to have Leslie Black designated a dangerous offender.
Without question, Black will serve years inside a penitentiary for his horrific attack on a homeless woman but at some point he will be granted freedom.
READ MORE: Court documents reveal lasting agony of assault on Marlene Bird
On June 1, 2014, Marlene Bird was robbed of her independence – for the rest of her life. Her legs had to be amputated after she was brutally attacked, set on fire and left for dead.
Black pleaded guilty to the vicious attack and his fate has since hung in the balance after the Crown sought to have him labelled a dangerous offender.
On Wednesday, Judge Stanley Loewen dismissed the Crown’s application in what he described as a very difficult case for all involved.
Bird, who arrived in court just as sentencing was being discussed and came face-to-face with Black, told the media outside she was disappointed by the news.
“He just looked at me and looked at the ground and didn’t say sorry. I just came out crying a bit but I’m strong,” Bird said in Prince Albert, Sask.
Instead of this designation and the possibility of never getting out of prison, Loewen ruled that Black will be sentenced to a significant period of incarceration.
Bird said, if this is the case, she would like to see him locked up for decades.
“He’s got to learn not to treat women like that.”
READ MORE: ‘It used to be for the worst of the worst’: dangerous offender designation
According to the 18-page decision, in the judge’s opinion Black didn’t fit the Criminal Code criteria to be declared a dangerous offender.
He also noted the attack was not premeditated, Black is remorseful, accepted responsibility for his actions and that Black has a history of petty crimes, not violence.
That despite seeing his mother murdered in front of his eyes on his ninth birthday.
“To say that this would have a negative effect on someone’s development is to greatly understate the obvious.”
The decision also outlined that Black has psychiatric issues but that he’s not a psychopath.
During the dangerous offender hearing, one psychiatrist testified that Black may suffer from as many as eight psychiatric disorders including anti-social personality disorder, substance abuse disorder and childhood post-traumatic stress disorder.
Black has served 1,180 days behind bars and will now be sentenced on Sept. 22.
When asked if the Crown will appeal the dangerous offender decision, the senior Crown prosecutor told Global News it plans to review this decision now and after the sentencing has concluded to determine if any action will be taken.
Comments