BlackburnNews.com file photo of defence lawyer Patrick Ducharme, July 22, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)BlackburnNews.com file photo of defence lawyer Patrick Ducharme, July 22, 2015. (Photo by Jason Viau)
Chatham

Court To Test Bastien's Fitness

Potential dates are set in a sexual assault trial against former Windsor and Chatham-Kent priest Linus Bastien.

But first, his defence lawyer Pat Ducharme says the court will determine if the 89-year-old is fit for trial.

"He has a number of health issues: he has difficulty hearing, he has difficulty remembering, he has difficulty walking, he's on a number of different medications," explains the lawyer.

Ducharme says Bastien has a hard time remembering what happened yesterday, let alone decades ago, and he needs to be able to communicate clearly when standing trial. That's why he's asked for a fitness hearing, which will be held May 24th, 26th and 27th.

If the Superior Court determines he's fit, then his trial will potentially begin October 21. Other trial dates are set for October 24-28, November 7-10 and December 14-16.

Three complainants launched a civil suit against Bastien in November of last year.

The former priest has been arrested multiple times since 2011, and faces a number of sexual assault-related offences.

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