Church break-in suspect demands jury trial
Arthur Fernando Rocha, 55, of Fredericton, butts heads with legal aid over trial preference
A Fredericton man accused of breaking into a Hanwell church and assaulting Mounties ranted to a judge Thursday about being denied due process while he sits in jail on remand.
Arthur Fernando Rocha, 55, of Woodstock Road, was remanded after a bail hearing two months ago on March 16 charges of break, enter and theft at St. James Presbyterian Church in Hanwell; assault on a Mountie; assault on the same officer with a weapon (a crowbar); resisting an officer; and possession of break-in instruments (two crowbar, a screwdriver and a chisel).
His case was back in Fredericton provincial court Thursday for election of mode of trial and pleas, but Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc heard there were issues with defence counsel.