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Guilty plea expected in Vancouver NYE machete attack case

Police said at the time that the attacks appeared completely unprovoked.
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A man charged with multiple offences related to a New Year's Eve machete attack on two men is expected to plead guilty later in March.

The man accused of attacking two strangers with a machete on Vancouver’s Granville Street on New Year’s Eve 2021 is expected to plead guilty on March 29.

Cruz Thomas Joseph was initially charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm, robbery, and possession of a dangerous weapon in connection with the attacks.

The victims were a 52-year-old man who was struck in the head and a 26-year-old man who was hit in the face.

Joseph remains in custody.

He appeared before Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Elizabeth Burgess on March 23 by video.

Appearing on behalf of Joseph’s lawyer Josh Oppal, articling student Taylor Barton told Burgess there would be an “intended guilty plea.”

Barton did not specify to which charges that plea might be.

Police said at the time that the attacks appeared completely unprovoked.

Both incidents took place near Granville and Nelson streets, where police ultimately apprehended Joseph at around 7 p.m. that night. 

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