Extension sought for psych exam in sex case

Court waiting to hear doctor’s assessment regarding possibility that cognitively delayed defendant Jarett Wayne Fraser Heuff, 26, might be exempt from criminal responsibility

A psychiatrist told a court Monday he needs more time to complete his assessment and report on a Pomeroy Ridge man accused of touching a minor sexually more than two years ago.

Jarett Wayne Fraser Heuff, 26, of Clark Point Road in Pomeroy Ridge, about 50 kilometres south of McAdam, faces charges of sexual assault and sexual interference, alleged to have occurred in McAdam between Oct. 30-31, 2021.

The girl’s identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.

Heuff’s mental state has been a central issue in the prosecution, as court heard he suffers from cognitive delays that doctors linked to a potential but unconfirmed diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome.