AUBURN — A judge hiked the bail of a local man charged with elevated aggravated assault in a 2013 stabbing, after the man violated bail conditions.

Active-Retired Justice Carl Bradford ordered Mahad Hassan, 26, to pay $1,000 cash bail and secure a contract for supervised release if he seeks release from Androscoggin County Jail.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Matulis told the judge that police had stopped Hassan in a car in July. He was arrested and charged with violation of conditions of release, operating under the influence and refusing to sign a criminal summons.

Hassan had been released from jail on a supervised contract with conditions,  including no possession or use of alcoholic beverages and that he comply with a daily 9 p.m. curfew. He was summoned at 11:11 p.m.

Seth Levy, Hassan’s attorney, argued that his client had been meeting the conditions of his release with the exception of that single relapse. He said Hassan had been doing well, had a full-time job and is a responsible father.

Levy said Hassan suffers from post traumatic stress disorder stemming from when he was a 6-year-old boy living in Somalia where his brothers were killed and dismembered before his eyes.

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He has pleaded guilty to the charges and not criminally responsible by reason of insanity. A November trial is planned, Levy said.

At an earlier court appearance, Hassan claimed through an attorney that he had acted in self-defense in the stabbing of a transient at his apartment in September 2013.

Hassan was charged with elevated aggravated assault, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and aggravated assault, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The victim, Abdi Bihi, was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. Police said he was stabbed in the face, neck, arm and back with a broken bottle.

The defense is expected to question how Bihi received his injuries.


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