ONTARIO’S Peel Regional Police have arrested 22-year-old Iqbal Hessan of Mississauga in relation to damage to property at a church and school in Mississauga.

On Wednesday, May 20, at approximately 10 a.m., police responded to a report of damage to the Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and the Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Elementary School, located at 2350 Hurontario Street, Mississauga.  Exterior walls at both the church and school were spray painted with graffiti.  A religious statue was also targeted and damaged with the spray paint.

On Monday, May 25, at approximately 8 a.m., police were notified of further damage at the Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Elementary School caused by graffiti that had been spray painted on an exterior wall of the school.

Hessan was arrested at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26.  He has been charged with break, enter and commit indictable offence and five counts of mischief over $5000.

HESSAN, who was released on bail on Thursday after a two-day hearing, told police he was thinking of killing or hurting a priest, Crown prosecutor Ann Marie De Grace told a Brampton court, according to Mississauga News.

Justice of the Peace Gerry Manno asked Hessan’s father about allegations that his son was upset at the church and with the Christian religion. He said his son’s anger and imbalance was because of his son’s schizophrenia and that caused his anger and imbalance.

De Grace opposed Hessan’s release on bail, but Manno said that public safety could be handled with a plan including psychiatric assessment and other court-imposed conditions such as not coming within 1,000 metres of the church or school or within 50 metres of a priest or minister. He must return home by 10 p.m. He cannot go to any other church or school in the region.

It has yet to be determined if Hesan will be charged with hate crimes.

Hessan will be back in court on June 30.