Accused to undergo psych assessment
A 50-year-old man charged after a North Sydney home was rammed with a stolen payloader is to undergo a 30-day psychiatric evaluation.
Kevin Albert Morrison, whose court files lists addresses in Sydney and Bras d’Or, is charged with three counts of mischief over $5,000, and single counts of mischief under $5,000, taking a vehicle without consent (a payloader owned by Nova Scotia Power), evading police and attempted break and enter involving a liquor store in North Sydney.
The offences are alleged to have occurred in the early morning hours of Monday.
He is also charged with three counts of mischief by endangering the lives of three people. Those offences are also alleged to have occurred Monday. He also faces three counts of uttering threats that are alleged to have occurred Jan. 1 and Jan. 11.
Morrison is charged in connection with damage to a home on Seaview Drive. The second mischief charge relates to damages done to a power pole and a power meter attached to the home.
He is also facing a peace bond application filed by his former partner who was living in the home but was away at the time of the damage.
The bond application, filed Jan. 9, claims Morrison has repeatedly harassed the woman, particularly via text messaging.
During a provincial court appearance Thursday, Morrison consented to the assessment.
Duty counsel Mike Kuna explained the accused has been dealing with mental health issues for several years and has been under the care of a psychiatrist.
He said Morrison’s actions on Monday are out of character and the assessment will help determine whether he was criminally responsible for his actions at the time because of a mental illness.
The court was told Morrison had an impeccable work record, having never missed a day of work in 28 years as an employee of Nova Scotia Power.
Kuna said the bizarre actions on Monday are out of the norm for Morrison who suffers depression and anxiety.
The assessment is to be carried out at the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth.
Morrison is to return to provincial court Feb. 16.