NEW WESTMINSTER - The man accused of murdering Surrey hockey mom Julie Paskall is still awaiting a trial date.
Yosef Jomo Gopaul has been charged with second-degree murder in the case. He appeared briefly in court in New Westminster on March 12 via video, where the matter of setting his trial date was adjourned to April 9 at 2 p.m. Gopaul has not yet entered a formal plea. Paskall, 53, was attacked outside Newton Arena on Dec. 29, 2013 when she was picking up her son from a hockey game. She died in hospital two days later.
The death spurred public outcry for increased safety in the community.
Gopaul came to Surrey from Ontario eight weeks prior to the attack.
A man by the same name was considered a high risk to re-offend after an Ontario conviction for attacking a woman on New Year's Day 2010.
Parole Board of Canada documents say Gopaul has gang affiliations and a "history of both drug and alcohol abuse" that was considered a factor in the incident.
A July 2012 decision on Gopaul's release said he appeared to have difficulty considering the short and long-term consequences of his actions, and noted he had shown little remorse or insight into the violent attack on a woman he followed from a bar at 2:30 a.m. The victim recalled "being struck with punches and kicks and fighting back and being dragged by the hood of her jacket while she was naked from the waist down."
Gopaul pushed the woman into a frozen creek as he fled.
areid@thenownewspaper.com With files from Vancouver Sun