Hearing in Eastern College knife attack delayed

The court case of a Fredericton man,charged in connection with a knife attack at Eastern College that sent three people to hospital in January,has been delayed.

Luke Powers, 31, was scheduled to appear in provincial court on Monday, following a 30-day psychiatric assessment.

But the hearing was adjourned until April 8 to allow doctors at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton more time to complete their assessment.

Powers is facing twocounts of indictable aggravated assault, and one count of indictable assault.

He has not yet entered any pleas.

One instructorand twostudents suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious from a large, long-bladed machete-style knife on Jan. 20.

Defence lawyer T.J. Burke had requested the assessment.

Powers is a former soldier and friends have saidhe struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.