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Mentally Unstable Man Attacked Hofius Boss Jackie Roe
posted (April 10, 2013)
47 year-old Kirk Nicholas is spending the second night of a 2 year sentence after he was convicted of aggravated assault against a well-known businesswoman. Jackie Roe, the Managing Director of Hofius on Albert Street, testified that on May 8, 2012, she was walking on Albert Street when she heard a commotion behind her. She said that she looked back and saw that a man she later identified as Kirk Nicholas coming behind her with a knife in his hand.

Nicholas reportedly had the knife held high and suddenly stabbed at her shoulder, but Roe managed to shield herself from injury by putting her purse in the path of the knife. Nicholas didn't get a second attempt because civilians in the area came restrained Nicholas.

Roe said that the next day, she was driving at the corner of Orange Street and East Canal when she saw Nicholas again, and he was standing in front of a store. She said that Nicholas recognized her, and immediately advanced on her vehicle in a threatening manner. She drove away, and went straight to the police station and reported the second terrifying encounter. Several days later, police arrested and charged Nicholas with aggravated assault.

Nicholas's trial started in October of last year, and Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith had to call in a psychiatrist to evaluate his mental state to determine if he was fit to stand trial because he was claiming that he is mentally unwell.

The psychiatrist placed Nicholas on treatment, and later on determined that he was fit to stand trial. Chief Magistrate Smith, after considering all the evidence, concluded that the evidence against him was overwhelming. As a result, she ruled that he was guilty of the offense, and sentenced him to spend 2 years in prison.

Nicholas continues to receive mental treatment.

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