The trial for four men suspected of a rash of home invasions in the St. John’s metro area has been rescheduled to February 2018.
The decision was made Monday when the case of Abdifatah Mohamed, 27, Mitchell Nippard, 25, Tyler Donahue, 23, and Gary Thomas Hennessey, 32, was called in provincial court.
The trial had been set to begin Monday, but Mohamed still has to sort out issues of legal representation. Judge Mike Madden told Mohamed to get it straightened out.
The trial was rescheduled to begin Feb. 5, 2018. It is expected to last three weeks.
The home invasions were said to have happened on Fourth Street in Mount Pearl on Feb. 3, Mount Royal Avenue in St. John’s on Feb. 4, Milton Road in Paradise on Feb. 8 and Angels Road in Paradise on Feb. 9.
Each of the men face dozens of charges, including robbery, break and enter, forcible confinement, assault with a weapon and breaching court orders.
Nippard also faces charges of animal cruelty. He reportedly killed a dog and injured another one during the home invasion on Mount Royal Avenue.
Police said all four homes were targeted and are believed to be connected.
The fifth man, 28-year-old Mohamed Salim of Toronto, had also been charged in connection with all four home invasions, but he has since died. His body was found in March in a gravel worksite off the Trans-Canada Highway. He had been reported missing Feb. 22. Police said his death was suspicious.
[email protected]
Twitter: TelyCourt
