Saskatoon

Dangerous offender hearing starts today for Marlene Bird attacker

A man who pleaded guilty to trying to kill a homeless woman will be back in court Monday morning for the start of a dangerous offender hearing.

Leslie Black pleaded guilty to attempted murder, set woman on fire in 2014

Marlene Bird has been through two amputations and several other surgeries needed because of the severity of the injuries she suffered. (Ryan Pilon/CBC)

A man who pleaded guilty to trying to kill a homeless woman will be back in court Monday morning for the start of a dangerous offender hearing.

In 2014, Leslie Black set Marlene Bird on fire in Prince Albert. Bird was badly burned and needed to have both her lower legs amputated.

She was also left with a large laceration that stretched across her entire face from the centre of her forehead down to her chin.

Police said at the time of his arrest that Black had been a casual acquaintance of Bird's and had been a person of interest since the start of their investigation.

At one point, Black tried to get his guilty plea expunged, but was unsuccessful.

The dangerous offender hearing is set to run in Prince Albert provincial court for two weeks.