Human trafficking trial on hold after accused deemed too high on drugs
Owen Gibson-Skeirs of East Preston has been charged with 11 counts of human trafficking-related charges
The human trafficking trial for a 21-year-old East Preston man has been delayed because he was too high to give his lawyer instructions.
Owen Gibson-Skeirs faces 11 charges, including procuring and trafficking a person under the age of 18. The three-day trial was scheduled to start Tuesday in Halifax provincial court.
Late Monday afternoon, Gibson-Skeirs was being transferred from the Cape Breton Correctional Facility to Halifax when officials called paramedics.
Crown attorney Catherine Cogswell said she learned the accused had been rushed to hospital after "inserting a package of drugs into his person." Cogswell told the court that Gibson-Skeirs later passed the drugs in hospital, and was released back into custody.
EHS was called again on Tuesday morning, prior to Gibson Skeirs's scheduled appearance.
His lawyer, Ray Kuszelewski, said it's believed residue from the drugs Gibson-Skeirs ingested the day before were still in his system. Kuszelewski requested a delay to allow time for lucid instructions from his client.
Judge Claudine MacDonald told Gibson-Skeirs and his lawyer, "I am doing this very reluctantly."
Gibson-Skeirs staggered out of the Halifax courtoom. The trial is scheduled to resume on Wednesday.