A man charged with killing Durban woman Halima Hoosen-Preston at her Glenmore, Durban, home in June 2024 has been declared unfit to stand trial.
This emerged in the Durban magistrate's court on Tuesday when Grayson Beare, 45, made an appearance.
The woman died and her husband and son, who were stabbed more than a dozen times, were seriously wounded. A fourth member of the family, a teenager, was unharmed.
Beare also faces two counts of attempted murder for the attack on the husband and son.
None of the family members were present in court.
Senior prosecutor Calvin Govender told the court Fort Napier Government Hospital had issued a medical report after an assessment of Beare.
“He is unable to understand the wrongfulness of his actions. I will discuss the report with [the] director of public prosecutions,” said Govender.
Beare was admitted to hospital after an order made by the magistrate's court in terms of the criminal procedure act.
The Hoosen-Preston and Beare families were known to each other and lived in the same suburb, Glenmore, in Durban.
In a letter submitted to the state and seen by TimesLIVE, the Fort Napier psychiatric hospital manager confirmed Beare was admitted at the institution on April 15 for evaluation.
The report conducted by state psychiatrists Shaun Hain and Soobiah Moodley, who assessed him independently, concluded Beare is mentally ill and not capable of following court proceedings or instructing his attorney.
Beare underwent psychiatric interviews, physical and neurological examinations and urine multi-drug screening and was kept under observation by the psychiatric nursing staff. They concluded he was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions.
Bail proceedings have been marred by delays. A month after the arrest, bail proceedings stood down after the defence requested a mental health assessment.
Last month the matter was again adjourned as the medical report from Fort Napier hospital was pending.
Beare, the adopted son of businessman Julian Beare, was arrested moments after the murder.
The matter was adjourned to August 15 for regional court allocation.
TimesLIVE
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