Michael Bird is escorted from Court of King's Bench. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Sexual assault trial begins at Court of King’s Bench

Oct 21, 2025 | 4:10 PM

A 12-person-jury consisting of men and women from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous descent is responsible this week for a sexual assault trial at Court of King’s Bench.

Michael Robert Bird, 24, has been in custody since July of last year. According to opening remarks made by Crown Prosecutor Kristen Hubbard, the victim had been drinking at a house, passed out on a bed, and awoke to find Bird on top of her, performing sexual intercourse.

“She did not have the capacity for consent,” she said.

A total of four days have been set aside for the trial and Hubbard has indicated plans to call three witnesses including the complainant.

The Crown’s first witness was a police officer who testified that on July 1, 2024, police were called to a residence in the city’s East Hill area.The victim and her boyfriend were outside the building and the woman, in the police officer’s words, appeared highly intoxicated.

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“She was continuing to repeat herself,” the police officer testified, adding the woman appeared confused as to what happened to her.

The woman was transported to hospital to get a sexual assault kit completed. Due to the woman’s high level of intoxication, she was told she could not get one done until she sobered up and later that night she left the hospital.

To the officer’s knowledge, the sexual assault kit was never completed. On July 5, the woman gave a statement to RCMP and Bird was arrested soon after.

The Crown’s second witness was the victim’s boyfriend, who was flown in from a northern community and appeared very intoxicated.

As he walked past the prisoner’s box, he gave a long stare in the direction of Bird.

Justice Labach agreed with Hubbard he was not fit to take the stand. The man will get a second chance to testify on Wednesday, followed by the victim.

Defence lawyer Evan Strelioff will then have an opportunity to present his case and it’s unknown if he will call on Bird to testify.

A publication ban ordered by Justice Labach prohibits the publication of any information that could identify the witnesses.

The alleged offence occurred exactly three weeks before Bird was arrested and charged with the murder of Trevor Laplante.

While that matter has also been committed to Court of King’s Bench, trial dates have not yet been set.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell