Trial begins for man on charges related to attacks on fishermen

Trial begins for man on charges related to attacks on fishermen
The Toronto Star
Peter Edwards Staff Reporter
2009/11/26 14:14:11

From: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/731254--trial-begins-for-man-on-charges-related-to-attacks-on-fishermen

The night of September 17, 2007 began as a bout of "nip-tipping," when three trucks full of Georgina Township youths planned to throw Asian fishermen into the waters of Simcoe Lake, a Newmarket Court heard.

It ended with several injuries, and one of the fishermen, Shayne Berwick, remains confined in a wheelchair, with permanent brain damage.

Trevor Middleton of Georgina Township faces four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, for a wild, late-night chase, in which Middleton is accused of ramming a Honda Civic repeatedly with his Ford F-150 truck until the Civic smashed into a tree and ejected Berwick and another passenger.

Berwick's parents were among those who packed the tiny courtroom as Middleton's trial began on Thursday.

Assistant Crown Attorney Amit Ghosh told the jury they would hear evidence that "nip-tipping" is a racist term used by some locals for attacks on Asian fishermen.

On the night that Berwick was severely injured, Ghosh said that Middleton led a group of 10-20 locals in three pickup trucks to the docks, where two fishermen were thrown into the water.

"Many of them had been drinking alcohol, although Mr. Middleton would have consumed little or none himself," Ghosh told the jury in his opening remarks.

All of the attackers except for one then ran to their trucks and drove away, Ghosh said.

The man left behind was severely beaten, and was lying in the road when Middleton returned in his truck moments later.

The trial is expected to last two weeks.