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'Should move forward': Still no plea from Saskatchewan student who allegedly set teen on fire

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More than three months have passed since a Saskatoon girl was set on fire, yet her classmate charged in connection with the incident has still not made a plea.

On Sept. 5, a 15-year-old girl was doused in a flammable substance and lit on fire at Evan Hardy Collegiate.

A 14-year-old girl has been charged with attempted murder, arson and aggravated assault.

She's also been charged with unlawfully causing bodily harm, related to a teacher who was injured while attempting to put out the flames.

The names of the accused and victim cannot be published under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. 

On Wednesday at Saskatoon Provincial Court, Crown Prosecutor Ainsley Furlonger said there is sufficient evidence for the defence to enter a plea.

The prosecution said additional evidence of medical records, cell phone examination and forensic was provided to the defence this week.

"None of this should be particularly novel information. So again, the Crown's position continues to be that we are in a position where pleas can be entered and things should move forward," Furlonger told the judge.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Pankiw said she needs to review two new USB drives of evidence before her client can enter a plea.

"One of the things I wasn't expecting was more disclosure on the cell phone," Pankiw said.

Pankiw also announced she will be moving from Saskatoon, so the case will have to be assigned to a new lawyer.

"The court was hoping to have pleas entered in a timely fashion. You know, by mid-November," Judge Darren Howarth said.

The judge agreed to adjourn the matter to the new year, on Jan. 6.

On that date, a new defence lawyer is expected to be appointed to the case, and the lawyers plan to schedule dates for "robust case management."

The accused was not present in court, as her attendance was waived. 

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