Enstrom assault case goes awry

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This article was published 23/08/2013 (3507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man accused of robbing Winnipeg Jets defenceman Toby Enstrom in Sweden in late June has been sentenced to one month in jail for giving a false name to police.

Enstrom was assaulted on the evening of June 29 in ñrnskldsvik, Sweden while attempting to take money out of an automated teller machine. The Jets defenceman had been out for dinner with friends and his sister that evening when witnesses say they saw him attacked and left unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital and needed stitches above his right eye, but was not seriously injured.

Enstrom told the court in ñrnskldsvik on Thursday that he did not recognize the accused and could not prove he had actually lost any money.

The accused, who was arrested along with two other men a few hours after the assault — both of whom were later released — denied the incident or ever having seen Enstrom in court.

The court determined that the testimony of the witnesses could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused actually robbed Enstrom.

Long record

But the defendant — who has a long record dating back to 2004 for theft, fraud, receiving stolen goods and misdemeanor drug offences — was sentenced for giving a false name to the police, who also admitted in court they recorded his name incorrectly and should have been more thorough in checking his identity.

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Enstrom, who said he experienced some lingering effects from the assault for a few days but is fine now, is expected to report to Jets training camp next month.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait