A man accused of aggravated assault against a queer man on a SkyTrain in August 2002 has been released on bail pending his Aug 15-16 trial.
This despite the fact that the man – who cannot be named as he was a juvenile at the time of the offence – already vanished and missed a 2003 pre-trial appearance in the case, delaying the trial for nearly two years. He was re-apprehended a few months ago.
New Westminster court registry records show the now-18-year-old was released on bail Jun 17.
Chris Iversen says the situation has made him scared to go out for fear of running into his alleged attacker.
But, he says, he’s ready to face the man in court.
“It’s been making me sick but I want to go the whole nine yards,” he says.
Iversen, then 16, was travelling home from a Youthquest meeting when he was attacked on Aug 28, 2002.
He says two men began harassing him at the New Westminster SkyTrain station. They followed him onto the train and shoved him against the door. Panicked, Iverson pushed the train’s yellow security strip to call for help.
Then the attack escalated, Iversen says.
The men followed him off the train at the next station and allegedly punched him and kicked him. They may have even smashed a beer bottle into his face. His front teeth were kicked into his throat.
Screaming and bloody, he fled.
Five months later, the Crown charged the accused with aggravated assault.
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