An expert who examined the young man accused of violently beating a young girl in the middle of the street in Montreal has concluded that he is not criminally responsible for his actions due to mental disorders.
Tanvir Singh, 21, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
In March, he allegedly attacked and injured the head and face of a 10-year-old child as she walked home at noon in the Pointe-aux-Trembles neighborhood of Montreal. Passers-by intervened and the police arrested the accused at the scene shortly after the attack.
According to the police, the girl had been seriously injured, but her life was not in danger. His identity is protected by order of the Court.
On Wednesday morning, the Crown prosecutor and the defense went before a judge with the report of an expert from the Philippe-Pinel Psychiatric Institute.
This concluded that the accused was not criminally responsible, but the Crown prosecutor, Ms.and Annabelle Sheppard, indicated that she had to study it in more depth before formally filing it in the Court file.
A finding of not criminally responsible means that the accused was unable to tell right from wrong at the time of the charge. This does not mean that he will be released: it is usually decided to keep him in a psychiatric institution for treatment.
The young man had previously been deemed fit to stand criminal trial.
The Tribunal is expected to decide his fate when he returns to court on June 7 at the Montreal courthouse.
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