Man accused of violently beating 10-year-old Montreal girl to undergo psychiatric evaluation

Man accused of beating girl to be evaluated The man accused of violently beating a 10-year-old girl will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

A man accused of violently beating a 10-year-old girl in Montreal's east end on Monday was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he's fit to stand trial.

Tanvir Singh, 21, has been charged with aggravated assault, two counts of assault with a weapon causing bodily harm and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

He appeared in court Wednesday for a bail hearing where both the Crown and defence recommended the accused be evaluated at the Philippe Pinel Institute. The accused's bail hearing was postoned to March 23.

The victim's family, who cannot be identified in order to protect the girl's privacy under youth protection laws, said they do not want to ever see the suspect back on the streets.

"She's doing better, of course, it'll take some time, she's still in a state of shock," her aunt said at the courthouse. "She was a victim, she didn't deserve this."

The 10-year-old girl was sent to hospital Monday with serious injuries to her head and upper body after she was attacked as she walked home from school in the Pointe-aux-Trembles neighbourhood.

"The young girl was walking with a friend on the sidewalk when a 21-year-old man approach them and for reasons still to be determined, started to punch the young girl and drag her a couple of metres until people that noticed the altercation got involved," said Raphaël Bergeron, a spokesperson with Montreal police (SPVM).

An online fundraiser has so far raised more than $11,000 to support the girl's family.

With files from CTV News' Rob Lurie