The man accused of killing two New Westminster women last summer might not stand trial – according to his lawyer.
Sarbjit Bains, the 32-year-old accused of murdering Karen Nabors and Jill Lyons more than one year ago, appeared in provincial court on Wednesday. Appearing via videoconference from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam, where he's been remanded since his arrest in January, the Surrey resident looked tired as his attorney, criminal defence lawyer Jodi Michaels, explained to the judge the case could be “resolved prior to the hearing.”
Michaels said that the case would likely be wrapped up within the next couple of weeks to a month and that a hearing wouldn’t be necessary as a result.
Nonetheless, both Michaels and the presiding judge agreed that scheduling a date for the preliminary hearing would be a good option just in case, as the dates are often months down the road.
Bains will be back in court on Sept. 10, one week from Wednesday’s appearance, to set a date for the six-day hearing. If the case does proceed to a hearing, both Crown and the defence will present evidence to the judge who will decide whether or not there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
Bains is accused of killing Lyons, 45, and Nabors, 48. Both women were found dead in their respective apartments in the 200 block of 11th Street in August 2013.
After almost five months, investigators with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced at a press conference on Jan. 6 that a suspect had been arrested and two charges of first-degree murder had been laid against Bains.
Motive and cause of death remain unknown.
