Preliminary hearing pushed back for Trevor Zinck

HALIFAX - A preliminary hearing has been delayed again for a member of the Nova Scotia legislature facing fraud-related charges in the province's legislative spending scandal.

Independent member Trevor Zinck wasn't in provincial court in Halifax today when his lawyer asked for a change in dates for the preliminary, which was originally supposed to begin in February.

It was pushed back to May during an appearance last week but his lawyer asked for another delay because those dates might conflict with a sitting of the legislature.

The preliminary is now scheduled for seven days, beginning June 11.

Zinck faces charges of theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

Former Liberal Dave Wilson pleaded guilty in the case last month and two other former politicians -- former Conservative Richard Hurlburt and ex-Liberal Russell MacKinnon -- also face charges.

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  Nova Scotia MLA Trevor Zinck poses outside his constituency office in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on Thursday March 25, 2010. Zinck, who represents the riding of Dartmouth North, has been suspended from the Nova Scotia NDP party caucus because of issues surrounding his constituency bills. (Mike Dembeck / THE CANADIAN PRESS).