Moncton protester against COVID rules found fit after psychiatric evaluation

A Riverview man arrested during a protest against COVID-19restrictions in Moncton last month was found fit to stand trial following a30-day psychiatric evaluation.

David Robert West, 54, will be released from custody and is next scheduled to appear in court April 6.

West was among five people arrested and held in custody following the Jan. 24 protest outside Moncton city hall, but was the only one still in custody.

He appeared in Moncton provincial court Thursday afternoon by video from theSoutheast Regional Correctional Centre in Shediac.

Defence lawyer Guillaume LeBlanc told provincial court Judge Paul Duffie that he had yet to receive disclosure of the Crown's evidence.

West indicated during an appearance Jan. 28 that he was "justnot all there in the head right now." A judge had ordered the psychiatric evaluation at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton at LeBlanc's request.

West faces several criminal charges, including allegations he resisted a police officer on Oct. 8, 2020, assaulted a peace officer on the same date, caused a disturbance at a grocery store in Moncton on Dec. 31, 2020 and violated the province's Emergency Measures Act at a Shediac grocery store on Jan. 22 this year, according to a list of charges read in court Thursday.

Jonathan Rossiter, 29, of Nackawic,Dawn Teakles, 49, of Moncton,Nicholas Deangelis, 34, ofBathurst, and Britney Green, 31, ofBathurstwere the others arrested and charged following the Jan. 24 protest.

Green andDeangelisare scheduled to return to courtMarch 10.Teakles returns to court March 22. An arrest warrant was issued afterRossitermissed his Tuesday court appearance.