WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg court has been told a man who battered and sexually assaulted two women in random, separate attacks suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and has an extremely low IQ.
The man, who cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the attacks two years ago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of aggravated sexual assault.
The Crown wants the man sentenced as an adult, and a four-day hearing on the issue is underway.
A psychiatric report entered into evidence says the man has major cognitive challenges and reads at a Grade 3 level.
The report also says the man told the psychiatrist he committed the assaults with another man — Justin Hudson, who has also pleaded guilty — because he was afraid Hudson would assault him if he refused.
The first attack saw a 16-year-old girl end up in the Assiniboine River and left for dead, while the second attack severely injured a woman.
