Three men facing attempted murder charges make court appearances

Separate Shelburne court appearances upcoming for the trio

Three individuals charged with attempted murder following an alleged stabbing incident in Shelburne – in which two of the accused are also listed as the victims – made their first court appearances last week.

The three men – Cade Alexander Benham, 24; Matthew James Jackson, 31; and Yan Franklin Cox, 46, all from Shelburne County – made their first court appearances in provincial court in Yarmouth on Dec. 31, following their arrests after reported stabbings took place in a Clements Street apartment unit in Shelburne on Dec. 27.

Since then the men have made separate court appearances with one being released from custody, another remaining in custody and a third still awaiting a showcause/ bail hearing.

The RCMP received a 911 call at about 3:15 p.m. on Dec. 27, saying that a stabbing had taken place inside an apartment on Clements Street. The police have said an altercation took place between the men and two had suffered serious injuries.

All three face a charge of attempted murder.

According to court documents, Benham, of Bulkley Street, Shelburne, is charged with attempting to murder Yan Cox by stabbing him with a knife. Benham also faces a charge of aggravated assault for endangering’s Cox’s life, along with charges of assault with a weapon and failure to comply with court undertakings.

In court on Dec. 31, Benham was sporting bandages on his right hand. He returned to provincial court in Shelburne on Jan. 2 and has been released from custody. His next court appearance is set for Jan. 9 in Shelburne provincial court for election and plea.

Cox, whose address is listed as 175 Clements St., Apartment A, is accused of attempting to murder Benham by stabbing him with a knife. He’s also charged with assault and aggravated assault on Benham. Another charge before the court states he failed to comply with a court-ordered recognizance or undertaking. In court on Dec. 31, Cox’s face appeared bruised and swollen and it looked as if there were cuts on the side of his face. The RCMP have not publicly released the injuries the individuals received in the Dec. 27 incident.

Cox’s next provincial court appearance was set for Jan. 3 in Shelburne. On that date he was remanded to custody in a provincial institution and is next due to appear in Shelburne provincial court on Jan. 24.

Jackson, whose address is listed as Black Point Road in Ingomar, Shelburne County, is accused of trying to murder Benham by stabbing him with a knife, according to the charge before the court. He is also charged with assault with a weapon and aggravated assault, with Benham listed as the victim of both charges. Jackson also faces three breach of probation charges. At his first court appearance on Dec. 31 he consented to being kept in custody until his next provincial court appearance, which is slated for a showcase hearing on Jan. 16.

During the Dec. 31 court appearance for the men, an order had been placed on each by the court not to communicate with one another.

In a Dec. 30 media release, the RCMP asked anyone with information on the incident to contact the Shelburne RCMP at 902-8752490.

Should people wish to remain anonymous call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers. ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.