Trial of man accused of attempting to snatch child during West Bromwich church service postponed due to mental fitness concerns
The trial of a man accused of trying to abduct a child at a West Bromwich church has been postponed due to questions over his fitness to follow proceedings.
Moses Berhe, 24, is alleged to have refused to hand back a child to their parent at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, March 2.
Berhe, of West Bromwich, but currently residing in a secure mental health unit in Cambridgeshire, was due to stand trial on Tuesday charged with attempted child abduction.
However, at a pre-trial hearing in Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday (Friday) Berhe's lawyer argued he was not mentally fit to stand trial.
Mr Ash Ahmed, defending, said: "This is the first time I have met the defendant in person, in my opinion he would struggle to keep up with any proceedings. He is slow and incoherent.
"He has been the subject of a doctor's assessment but I believe he should have another one and the trial be vacated until the results of a new assessment were placed before the court."
Justice Michael Chambers KC reprimanded Berhe's defence team for the late nature of their request.
He said: "It is not satisfactory a few days before trial, without a defence statement produced that a request is entered to delay this trial. There as been an assessment in July which deemed him fit to stand trial.
"The defence's behaviour has a lot to be desired in the case, there was surely a reason to visit him in person and speak to him face to face before now."
Justice Chambers KC added: "I am going to vacate next week's trial and adjourn the matter until October. The public are rightly interested in cases like this."
Berhe will have to return to Wolverhampton Crown Court on October 10 for another pre-trial hearing.
