Homeless person jailed for knife attack
Brandon Burley McLean, 25, AKA Quinn McLean, also violated sex-offender registration order, failed to attend court for trial; childhood was tainted by abusive experiences
A Fredericton-area resident who menaced a security guard with a knife and disregarded court orders saw their stay in jail extended Thursday, but court also heard how he’s haunted by childhood trauma and addictions.
Brandon Burley McLean, 25, AKA Quinn McLean, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by video conference from the Dalhousie Regional Correctional Centre on Thursday for sentencing.
McLean - who identifies as non-binary - previously pleaded guilty to four offences:
violating a court order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) between March 1 and April 1, 2022, to report for their annual check-in with the offender registration centre;
assaulting Ali Shahensha with a knife and possessing a knife for the purpose of committing an offence, both on Sept. 4;
and failing to attend court for trial on the SOIRA charge Sept. 26.
They were arrested on an outstanding warrant Oct. 7 and have been in custody since that time.
Crown prosecutor Brett Stanford said McLean was convicted of sexual assault in October 2020, and consequently, the court imposed a SOIRA order on the offender.
“McLean initially did register on time,” he said, adding that they later failed to continue with the annual registration requirements.
The most serious offences came on Sept. 4, the prosecutor said.
Ali Shahensha was working as a security guard at an office complex at 565 Priestman St. when he noticed McLean skulking around the back of the building. Shahensha approached McLean, court heard, intending to get them to move along.
“McLean pulled out a folding knife and ran at Mr. Shahensha,” Stanford said.
The security guard retreated and called police, he said, and officers found McLean nearby, the knife still on their person.
The prosecutor said McLean subsequently failed to attend court for their trial on the SOIRA violation despite having been directed by a judge to do so.
He and duty counsel Michael Mallory offered a joint recommendation on sentencing: five months in jail, less credit for the time McLean had already spent in custody.
Stanford also recommended a period of probation.
Mallory noted there were mitigating factors in McLean’s favour, including their guilty plea.
“The pre-sentence report does describe an extremely difficult childhood,” he said, adding that his client was subjected to severe abuse and trauma.
That’s given rise to mental-health issues, the defence lawyer said, noting McLean has had several referrals to the mobile crisis unit for suicidal ideations and threats.
McLean also has substance-abuse issues, Mallory said, but their time in custody has led to a period of sobriety and access to medications that have improved their state of mind.
That clarity has driven the offender to continue getting better.
“They… intend to attend a rehab facility,” Mallory said, and the next step would be to secure proper housing.
McLean apologized for their actions, explaining another stressor that contributed to the situation was the loss of a family member last December.
Judge Cameron Gunn said McLean’s pre-sentence report spells out just what led them to this low point, but it appears there’s potential for them to bounce back and getting clean and reflecting while on remand.
“Sometimes, going to jail is the worst place in your life,” the judge said. “Sometimes, it’s the best place in your life.”
Gunn accepted the five-month recommendation. He noted McLean had served 83 days on remand, and after the standard 1½-to-one credit ratio was applied, that meant they’d served the equivalent of 125 days.
That means McLean has 25 days left to serve on their sentence.
The judge also ordered a 12-month term of probation to follow, during which the offender is to have no contact with Shahensha, to stay away from 565 Priestman St. and to undergo counselling as directed by their probation officer.
Gunn also prohibited McLean from possessing firearms and other weapons for 10 years.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.