Criminal Justice Branch Media Statements for 2016

December 29, 2016

Charges Approved Against Vancouver Police Officer
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that criminal charges have been approved against Vancouver Police Detective Constable James Albert Stanley Fisher.

December 16, 2016

CJB Launches Twitter Account
Victoria – The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice is pleased to announce the launch of their new twitter account.

December 6, 2016

No Charges Approved in RCMP Investigation re: Paige Gauchier
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice announced that no charges have been approved against the Delta Police Service officers and paramedics who dealt with Paige Gauchier on January 22, 2011 and did not report the incident to the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD).

November 18, 2016

No charges for Surrey RCMP officers involved in arrest
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against three members of the Surrey RCMP involved in an arrest on February 28, 2015.

October 28, 2016

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigation Involving Police Service Dog
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice announced that no charges have been approved against three RCMP officers involved in an arrest involving the use of a police service dog that occurred on July 30, 2014 in Nanaimo.

October 20, 2016

No Charges Approved in Valemount Police Shooting
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, announced that no charges have been approved against members of the RCMP Emergency Response Team who were involved in a shooting near Valemount on September 17, 2014.

October 18, 2016

Charge Approved Against Surrey Police Officer
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice announced that a charge of Luring a Child has been approved against RCMP Cst. Dario Devic as a result of an investigation into conduct that is alleged to have occurred between August 29, 2016 and September 7, 2016 at or near Surrey.

September 14, 2016

Charges Approved in Motor Vehicle Fatality
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that criminal charges have been approved against Kenneth Jacob Fenton following an investigation into a motor vehicle collision that resulted in the death of RCMP Constable Sarah Beckett.

September 13, 2016

Charges Approved Against Former Deputy Sheriff
Victoria – The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice announced that on September 7, 2016, Special Prosecutor Michael Tammen, QC, approved four charges against former Kamloops Deputy Sheriff Kevin Johnston.

September 12, 2016

Charge Approved by Special Prosecutor
Victoria – The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that Special Prosecutor Michael Klein, QC, has approved a charge of assault against Patrick Pimm, a current Member of British Columbia’s Legislative Assembly.

September 9, 2016

Charge Approved Against Police Officer in Penticton
Victoria – The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice announced that a charge has been approved against RCMP Cst. Ace Stewart arising out of a motor vehicle fatality in Penticton on September 15, 2015.

September 9, 2016

B.C.’s Prosecution Service Strives for Continuous Improvement
Victoria - Today, the Criminal Justice Branch released materials that highlight its ongoing efforts to improve service delivery.

August 17, 2016

Appointment of Special Prosecutor
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB) has appointed a Special Prosecutor in relation to a matter involving Pat Pimm - a current Member of British Columbia’s Legislative Assembly.

August 11, 2016 

No Charges Approved in Vancouver Police Shooting
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, announced that no charges have been approved against a member of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) who was involved in a shooting incident on April 14, 2014.

July 29, 2016

Mandatory Minimum Sentence for Firearms Offence Upheld
Victoria - On July 27, 2016, the Court of Appeal released its decision in R. v. Oud. The Crown’s appeal was allowed and the four-year mandatory minimum sentence was upheld.

July 13, 2016

Charges Approved by Special Prosecutor
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that Special Prosecutor Dirk Ryneveld, QC, has approved charges against Marnie Ruth Offman for offences allegedly arising out of her employment with the Swan Lake constituency office in Victoria.

July 12, 2016

R. v. Gretes - Appearance Adjourned to Later Date

Victoria – On March 11, 2016, the Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that Special Prosecutor Mark Jetté had approved two charges against George Steven Gretes under the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). Special Prosecutor Mark Jetté has advised that the George Steven Gretes appearance has been adjourned by consent to the afternoon of July 14, 2016.

June 8, 2016

Criminal Justice Branch Issues Guidelines for Prosecutors Dealing with Physician-Assisted Death
Victoria – In response to the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 5, [2015] 1 S.C.R. 331, the Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) has provided British Columbia prosecutors with guidelines to assist them in the exercise of their charge assessment discretion when considering the involvement of healthcare professionals who are not physicians but who are involved in the provision of physician-assisted death.

May 17, 2016

Special Prosecutor Approves Charge for Breach of Trust
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) announced that Special Prosecutor David Butcher, QC, has approved a charge of Breach of Trust against Brian Ashly Bonney.

May 10, 2016

Charge of Sexual Assault Approved Against Police Officer
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) announced that a criminal charge has been approved against RCMP Inspector Timothy Shields as a result of an investigation into sexual misconduct that is alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2010.

April 28, 2016

No Charge Approved for Force Used in Arrest by Vancouver Police
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against members of the Vancouver Police Department who were involved in an arrest on October 2, 2014.

March 23, 2016

No Charge Approved for Arrest by Sidney RCMP
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, announced that no charges have been approved against an officer involved in the arrest of a young person in Sidney, British Columbia.

March 18, 2016

No Charge Approved for Arrest by Surrey RCMP
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, announced that no charges have been approved against members of the Surrey RCMP involved in an arrest on October 10, 2014.

March 18, 2016

No Charges Approved Against Members of the Burnaby RCMP
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against members of the Burnaby RCMP who were involved in an altercation on June 4th, 2014.

March 14, 2016

No Charge Approved in IIO Investigation of Motor Vehicle Collision in Coquitlam
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, announced that no charge has been approved in connection to a motor vehicle collision involving an off-duty member of the RCMP on April 5,2015.

March 11, 2016

Charges Approved by Special Prosecutor
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that Special Prosecutor Mark Jetté has approved charges against George Steven Gretes under the province's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).

March 1, 2016

Charges Approved for Alleged Animal Cruelty at Chilliwack Dairy
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that charges have been approved under the British Columbia Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Wildlife Act, following an investigation into allegations of animal cruelty at a dairy operation owned by Chilliwack Cattle Sales Ltd.

February 25, 2016

Assault Charge Approved in IIO Investigation of Arrest in Terrace
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice announced that a charge of assault has been approved against a member of the R.C.M.P in connection with an incident involving the arrest of a male youth in Terrace on May 28, 2014.

January 18, 2016

Criminal Justice Branch Releases Public Report on Riot Prosecutions
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (the Branch), Ministry of Justice, released a detailed report on the prosecutions resulting from the 2011 Stanley Cup Riot in Vancouver.