Colin Wheeler will be sentenced Friday in Corner Brook on the charges that landed him in prison, but will wait until November to go to trial on the seven other charges laid against him since he's been there.
Wheeler was found guilty in June of assault with a weapon, mischief and breaching two court orders in connection with a violent incident involving two women in Benoit's Cove, on the west coast of the island, last October. He's been in custody since then, and has been charged with seven unrelated charges while waiting for his case to proceed.
The charges, which span from Nov. 28 to June 27, include assaulting inmates, damaging Her Majesty's Penitentiary property to the tune of more than $10,000, and making false fire alarms. Wheeler has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and will go to trial over two days, starting Nov. 20.
When he appeared in provincial court in St. John's Monday morning via videolink from HMP, Wheeler indicated he would represent himself at trial, as he did in Corner Brook in June.
Wheeler, 36, was aggressive and belligerent during previous court appearances, shouting, swearing and at one point last spring threatening to "smash someone" if he was sent to the Waterford Hospital for a psychiatric assessment. He later apologized to the court and has not been aggressive in the courtroom since.
"I'd just like to say I'm very sorry for my attitude, my actions and the words I have spoken in the past few months in St. John's court," he said, telling Judge Paul Noble he has been receiving treatment for a mental health issue and is now "doing very fine."
"I'll pass that on to the other judges, thank you very much. Your words are much appreciated," Noble replied.
