Aggravated assault case adjourned to Tuesday

A 19-year-old woman accused of arranging an attack on a younger boy last year may finally take a step when her matter returns to court next week.

Trinity Savard, who faces one count of aggravated assault, had her case briefly addressed Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court before it was adjourned until Tuesday. The accused has already been represented in court 15 times since her arrest last December, but an agent for her lawyer said defence is close to taking a step.

Court was told the case was interrupted for several months because of COVID-19, and then defence had difficulty contacting the accused, which made it necessary to almost start over. Now that the matter is back on track, defence is close to making its election on the charge.

The charge stems from an incident which occurred at about midnight on Dec. 5, 2019 when a 16-year-old boy and an older teenage woman were walking in a dark alley just off Mayor Magrath Drive North. The boy was attacked from behind by five people and stabbed. The victim was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital with stab wounds to his back, then flown by STARS air ambulance to Calgary.

Court was told in June that the boy faces months of rehabilitation and treatment but is doing reasonably well considering his early prognosis.

In addition to Savard, Alexander Roxby Styra, 20, was charged with aggravated assault and theft over $5,000. He pleaded guilty to the charges in June, and earlier this month was sentenced to 16 months in jail, minus 13 1/2 months for time he spent in pre-trial custody.

Two teenage boys were also charged in relation to the gang-style attack. They return to court Oct. 14.

Both accused, who can’t be identified because of their age, are charged with aggravated assault. One of the boys is also charged with threats to cause death or bodily harm and obstructing a peace officer, while the other boy faces an additional charge of assault with a weapon.

During the police investigation of the assault, officers found a van that had been stolen Dec. 5 from a business on 13 Street North. The van was found parked behind an apartment building at 210 Mayor Magrath Dr. N., and inside one of the apartments police found a BB gun, a bloody threeinch folding knife, and the victim’s cellphone.