An inmate with a violent record is back in court to face allegations that he sexually assaulted another prisoner.
Kyle Clinton Bear last made news in June 2015, when he was arrested by Carrot River RCMP on a Canada-wide warrant. He had fled from Kamloops B.C., where he was living under a 10-year long-term supervision order.
The orders are meant to help authorities keep tabs on habitual and dangerous offenders after their release from custody.
The RCMP picked Bear up during a road check, and he ended up serving time at Saskatchewan Penitentiary for breaching his long-term supervision order. That’s where, allegedly, he sexually assaulted another inmate in August 2016.
Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Addabor said the other prisoner was not seriously injured during the alleged attack.
No charges were filed on that matter until this month, however. Bear first appeared in Prince Albert’s provincial courthouse this week to face one count of sexual assault. He addressed Judge Morin via video on Thursday and tried to push the court to appoint private counsel to represent him.
Morin said Bear should have confidence in legal aid.
“Legal aid has a lot of very experienced lawyers,” he said. “Their law degrees are the same size as any private lawyer. they deal with criminal law every day … so don’t be so quick to put down legal aid.”
Bear specifically requested Prince Albert lawyer Mary McAuley. He said she is already representing him on another matter, an aggravated assault charge from this May. He must have been released from Saskatchewan Penitentiary by then, since that offence allegedly took place at Pakwaw Lake.
Morin said that Bear could request a legal aid referral to McAuley.
Bear will return to Prince Albert’s provincial courthouse next week on the sexual assault charge. He will face a preliminary hearing on the aggravated assault in January.
