The Montreal man who is accused of attacking and attempting to rob Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew will spend New Year's Eve in jail before undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.
The judge denied bail and ordered the evaluation during a court appearance Friday, claiming he didn't want a "ticking time bomb," roaming the streets.
The 24-year-old house painter, Frederick Estelle, has been charged with assault and robbery stemming from an incident Wednesday.
Estelle is alleged to have attacked Pettigrew while he was waiting for a train at the Cote-Vertu Metro station in Montreal. Pettigrew was allegedly accosted by the man who reportedly told him "this is my territory, you have no business here."
Pettigrew was talking on his cell phone at the time and attempted to ignore the man. Estelle allegedly then grabbed Pettigrew by the shoulder and attempted to wrestle his cell phone from his hand.
A Good Samaritan tried to intervene and was allegedly punched in the face in the process.
Police then arrested Estelle, who told them he knew he had attacked "a well known public figure."
Pettigrew suffered minor injuries to the mouth and nose resulting from the altercation.
Estelle appeared in court for a bail hearing Friday, where his family was unable to explain his behaviour. He said he had been drinking, but his father described Estelle as a strict evangelical Christian.
His uncle, Richard Estelle, said his nephew suffers from a psychological disorder that may have been responsible for his nephew's behaviour.
The crown and defense both backed up this position, and didn't argue with the judge's decision to send Estelle for a psychological evaluation before allowing him to be released on bail.
"He had a history of depression. I think it was appropriate to send him to (The Institut Philippe Pinel de Montréal) to have an expertise from a psychiatrist to determine maybe what caused this event," prosecutor David Simon told CTV Montreal.
The defence agreed.
"I think it's a very wise decision. The judge had certain preoccupations regarding the psychological and psychiatric state of mind of Mr. Estelle," said defence lawyer Kathia Zazzara.
Estelle's next court appearance will be on Jan. 10, when the judge will decide whether he poses a risk to the public if released on bail.
The attack came as a surprise to many. Earlier this year Pettigrew got in hot water when it was revealed he often brought his chauffeur with him on taxpayer-financed international trips.
His office will now only say Pettigrew actually enjoys taking public transport with no security guards.
