A man charged with attempted murder in an incident involving a co-worker at Flex-N-Gate in Bradford West Gwillimbury is now mentally fit to stand trial, a judge was told today.
Mothy Chheng, dressed in a grey sweatshirt, with black hair and beard, appeared in Bradford court Thursday afternoon.
He has most recently been in custody at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Heath Care in Penetanguishene since the July 4, 2018 incident at the factory on Reagens Industrial Parkway.
Chheng's lawyer, Edward Prutschi, told Judge Angela McLeod his client's time there made a difference in his mental health.
“He is fit now,” he said, but “bail has not been dealt with whatsoever. I could not (previously) communicate with Mr. Chheng.”
While the unit he was in at Waypoint is not designed for long-term stays, Prutschi asked McLeod to allow Chheng to stay there in the short-term, instead of in regular police custody, for the sake of his mental health.
“There is a significant risk of him backsliding,” he said.
According to McLeod and Prutschi, a report from a Waypoint psychiatrist stated Chheng is now mentally fit and should remain in a “less secure” facility, such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
The report also noted a concern for Chheng’s long-term mental health and a need for continued psychiatric care and medication, Prutschi said.
“Obviously it’s in everyone’s best interest he remain fit,” said McLeod.
She said Chheng can stay at Waypoint “or other less secure psychiatric facilities as deemed appropriate by Waypoint” for the short term.
Last July 4 around 9:30 p.m., South Simcoe Police were called to Flex-N-Gate for a report of a possible industrial accident.
The victim, identified in court documents as Khamphouviene Sourapha, was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to a Toronto trauma centre.
According to court documents, the weapon used was a steel automotive assembly.
Chheng’s next appearance is April 18 in a Barrie court to deal with his bail, with pre-trial expected to start in May.
