Man accused of assaulting Jewish father in front his children found not criminally responsible, unlikely motivated by hate
Posted September 15, 2025 5:35 pm.
Last Updated September 15, 2025 5:41 pm.
The man accused of assaulting a Jewish father in front of his children in Parc-Extension last month was back found not criminally responsible, after undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. He was also found to not be motivated by hate.
Sergio Yanes Preciado, 23, underwent a 30-day evaluation at Philippe-Pinel Institute — which on Monday revealed, at the time of the attack that took place on Aug. 8, he was incapable of knowing that his actions were wrong.
The report finds Yanes Preciado was in a state of psychosis while he was in Dickie Moore park last month, when he approached the father and sprayed him with the contents of his water bottle.
The accused then pushed the father to the ground and punched him several times in the face and kneed him.
The incident was captured by a witness in a 29-second video, but it does not show what led to the incident.
The attack is seen picking up items in a grocery bag and tossing what appears to be a kippah — a traditional Jewish head covering — into a splash pad.
The father sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.
The incident was widely condemned by members of the political class, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier François Legault.
The psychiatric evaluation finds that it was “unlikely that Yanes Preciado was motivated by hate, that he describes harbouring no animosity toward the Jewish community and that he would have acted in the same way if he had felt persecuted by someone of another faith.”
Yanes Preciado was charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm and the ruling of non-criminal responsibility does not acquit him, as he will be detained, and remains so in hospital.
He was ordered to not communicate with the victim and their family.
His case will now be reviewed by the Mental Disorders Examination Commission (CETM). Eventually, he will be before a judge there to determine his possible release and conditions.
