Acquittal of 92 year old Defendant raises complex questions on fitness to stand trial

SA, 92 year old defendant represented by Tanya Robinson, was acquitted yesterday of 10 counts of sexual abuse on his granddaughter between 2009 and 2015, in a trial of the issue of whether he had done the acts alleged lasting 6 days. The defendant was found unfit to stand his trial on day 1 of the trial by reason of cognitive deficits most likely caused by dementia and trauma following a road traffic accident. He was then tried in absence represented by Tanya Robinson. The case raised interesting issues about the public interest in prosecuting such an old case, particularly where delays in bringing the matter to court had led to such a deterioration in the defendant’s health, that he was no longer fit to participate in his trial, and where there were limited options for the court to deal with him even if found to have done the acts.