Accused pleads guilty across the board in relation to attack and sexual assault of Lethbridge woman

The morning of Sept. 30, 2016 began for a young Lethbridge woman like many other mornings.

She arose early, texted her husband who at the time was in another province, then left for work.

Unfortunately that’s where the similarities end.

As the woman walked to work, Denzel Dre Bird struck her from behind with a metal pipe, knocking her to the ground where he sexually assaulted her before dragging her into an alley and stuffing her body into a residential garbage can.

“She fell to the ground, unconscious and helpless,” Crown prosecutor Erin Olsen said Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, where Bird pled guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault.

Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Olsen said the woman, who can’t be named under a court-ordered publication ban, likely hit her head when she struck the ground, which, along with the blow to the head, fractured her skull and facial bones.

The 26-year-old woman was found by two men going to work who called 911 and said they found a partially naked woman, face down in a garbage bin in an alley just off Sixth Avenue S.

When paramedics arrived, they heard “puffing sounds” coming from the woman and they noted swelling, contusions, and abrasions all over her face and mouth. One front tooth was missing and she was near death. Paramedics intubated her and took her to Chinook Regional Hospital, and she was later transferred to Calgary.

The victim, who doesn’t remember the attack, also sustained severe traumatic brain injuries and was in a medically induced coma for several weeks.

On Oct. 20 she was moved from intensive care to a unit that could manage her traumatic brain injury, and over the next month she began improving neurologically. She was finally discharged from hospital in Calgary on Jan. 31 of this year.

“Her activity level has gradually increased but she is not able to drive, and she has not been able to return to work,” Olsen told court. “She has had to re-learn many simple things, and has struggled with speech and cognition, walking, balance and much more.”

Bird was arrested at a westside apartment building five days after the attack. He told police he did not to recall anything about the morning in question and that he had never seen the victim before. He claimed he never hurt her and that he was drinking near some schools on the westside at the time of the attack.

“He told police he was being truthful but he was not,” Olsen said.

Presented with evidence of the crime, Bird eventually admitted his guilt, provided a re-enactment and described to police details of the attack.

“I’m sorry for that poor girl. I’m so sorry for that poor girl,” he told police.

Bird also wrote an apology letter in which he said he is sorry and “broken” for what he did.

“I confessed ’cause I knew I messed up,” he wrote.

Bird, who appeared in court by closed-circuit TV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre and at times put his face in his hand and appeared to wipe away tears, also pleaded guilty Friday to breaking into a garage and stealing several items. Court was told Bird broke into the garage the morning of the assault and stole the pipe with which he later struck his victim. He then returned to the garage afterward where he slept until the owner ordered him to leave.

The court has ordered Bird to undergo a psychological and psychiatric assessment before he is sentenced. The court also ordered a pre-sentence report with a Gladue component, which will provide personal information about the accused, including his aboriginal background, to help the judge determine an appropriate sentence.

The case returns to court Jan. 5 for a sentencing hearing, during which the Crown and defence are expected to provide their recommendations for sentencing. The matter will then likely be adjourned to another date for Bird to be sentenced.