A Prince Albert judge has dismissed a dangerous offender application for a man who violently attacked Marlene Bird three years ago.
Leslie Black pleaded guilty to attempted murder after Marlene Bird was found in downtown Prince Albert on June 1, 2014 beaten, set on fire and barely conscious.
She suffered third-degree burns and was so badly wounded that both her legs required amputation. Half of her forehead down to her chin was lacerated and she was left with permanent damage to her eyesight. She said it was painful to see Black in court.
“I wanted to talk to the judge but I wanted to look at him. I had to cry. He didn’t even say sorry,” Bird, 50, said outside court Prince Albert Provincial Court Wednesday.
A dangerous offender designation could have resulted in an indefinite prison sentence for Black. Bird said she’s hoping for a lengthy sentence to ensure he doesn’t reoffend.
"He'll do that to somebody else," she said. "He's got to learn not to treat women like that."
Justice Stanley Loewen read an 18-page decision dismissing the dangerous offender application in Prince Albert Wednesday. He referenced Black’s criminal history – that he’s been charged with several break and enters, theft and impaired driving, but that he doesn’t have a violent history. Loewen said Black’s potential risk could be managed in the community.
Court heard Black has eight psychological disorders including attention deficit hyperactive disorder and possible fetal alcohol syndrome. Loewen said he’d like to impose a “lengthy” sentence of more than two years and long-term supervision. He’s scheduled to deliver his verdict on September 22.
---With files from The Canadian Press
