Defence asks for psychiatric assessment before bail bid by murder-accused Grayson Beare

Bail proceedings for Grayson Beare, charged with the fatal stabbing of a “pro-Palestine” woman in the Durban suburb of Glenmore last month, stood down on Thursday after the defence requested a mental health assessment.

Attorney Nyameko Jodwana told Durban magistrate Ashwin Singh they plan to bring an application under a section of the Criminal Procedure Act dealing with incapacity.

He wants his client to be evaluated by three psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist.

Prosecutor Calvin Govender said Beare had been sent for mental assessment with the district surgeon who recommended he should not be sent for assessment now.

“That submission was accepted by the defence. The best way forward now is if the defence is not in agreement with the surgeon, the surgeon should be brought to court so he can be cross-examined,” said Govender.

He believed the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the application, saying it should be heard by a regional court.

Outside court, Beare's legal team told TimesLIVE their client was not in a good space.

“This we see in our consultations. He often hallucinates and at times is delusional,” Jodwana said.

Singh adjourned the matter to July 24.

TimesLIVE