Trial underway for man accused of assaulting Penticton psychiatrist

PENTICTON – The jury trial for a Summerland man accused of aggravated assault against a Penticton Regional Hospital psychiatric doctor began in Penticton court today.

Gregory Stanley Nield, who was 31 years old at the time, faces one count of aggravated assault for the Dec. 5, 2014 incident in which he is alleged to have beaten Dr. Rejeev Sheoran during an interview in the hospital’s psychiatric ward.

The doctor was knocked unconscious and suffered severe facial injuries, including facial fractures and a broken jaw in the incident.

Nield entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in Penticton Supreme court today, April 3.

Calling the hearing “a textbook example of a circumstantial case,” Crown prosecutor Sarah Firestone said during her opening remarks the jury wouldn’t hear of precisely what took place in the interview room during the assault, but would hear enough evidence during the testimony leading up to and after the interview to find “no reasonable doubt” that Nield assaulted the doctor.

Defence lawyer Stan Tessmer did not deliver an opening submission.

The trial is scheduled for 10 days.

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