Leacock elects jury trial for attack charges
Gamon Jay Leacock, a high-risk offender accused of attacking three women in Halifax on the afternoon of Jan. 15, has elected to be tried in Nova Scotia Supreme Court by a judge and jury.
Leacock, 49, made the election Thursday, when he appeared in Halifax provincial court via a video link from the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Pictou County.
Defence lawyer Eugene Tan said his client wants to have a preliminary inquiry in provincial court. Tan and Crown attorney Ben Hoskins both estimated two days will be needed for that hearing.
Judge Ann Marie Simmons tentatively scheduled the preliminary inquiry for Sept. 5 and 6. She hopes to firm up those dates when the case returns to court May 6.
Police issued a high-risk offender notification about Leacock in October. The advisory from Halifax Regional Police said Leacock was living in the Halifax area after serving a prison sentence for 30 offences, including nine counts of robbery and two of sexual assault with a weapon.
On Jan. 15, police responded at about 3:05 p.m. to a report of a robbery on Cunard Street in Halifax.
A police news release said a man approached a woman in her car on South Street and offered her money to drive him to Cunard Street. When they arrived, the man threatened and assaulted the woman and stole her belongings before fleeing on foot.
A man matching the robbery suspect’s description entered a home on nearby Clifton Street a short time later and sexually assaulted two women in a bedroom.
Leacock was arrested at about 3:30 p.m. in a backyard on Hunter Street. He was taken to hospital for treatment and allegedly attempted to flee but was immediately apprehended by police.
Leacock faces two counts each of aggravated sexual assault, unlawful confinement, uttering threats and breaching a release order and single counts of robbery, assault, break and enter to commit an offence, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and escaping custody.
The Crown opposed Leacock’s release on the 13 charges and applied to revoke his earlier release on two charges of breaching an order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act. Those offences were allegedly committed in October.
Judge Alonzo Wright denied Leacock bail March 13 after a hearing in provincial court. A publication ban imposed at the hearing covers the reasons for Wright’s decision.
Leacock has been ordered to have no contact with the three complainants, whose identities are protected.