Defendant doesn’t have handle on case

Man accused of hitting another in head with hatchet tells judge he forgot to get lawyer

A 19-year-old man charged with striking another man in the head with a hatchet two months ago made an appearance in provincial court in St. John’s via video from jail Wednesday morning.

Proceedings didn’t last long, however, because he told the judge he had forgotten to get a lawyer.

Dylan Walsh faces charges of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon and eight breaches of court orders. He appeared nonchalant on the TV screen, lifting his shirt to scratch his stomach and sighing.

“Are you going to seek counsel, or what are you doing?” Judge Jacqueline Brazil asked him after he told her that he didn’t have a lawyer.

“Your honour, I just forgot about it,” Walsh replied.

“You’re going to have to take responsibility and ownership of this yourself,” Brazil told him. “It’s very important that you do this.”

Walsh told the judge he would make some phone calls as soon as his proceedings were done. He is set to make his next court appearance Jan. 25.

Walsh was arrested Nov. 20 after police received a report around 9 p.m. that he had struck another man in the head with a hatchet on St. Thomas Line in Portugal Cove-st. Philip’s. The victim was taken by ambulance to hospital and treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.