Criminal Justice Branch Media Statements for 2014

December 23, 2014

No Charges Approved in Abbotsford IIO Investigation
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) announced today that no charge has been approved for the use of force by a member of the Abbotsford Police Department in arresting an adult male on January 28, 2014.

November 19, 2014

No Charges Approved in Fernie Police Pursuit
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges will be laid against two members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who were involved in a police pursuit between Fernie and Sparwood on January 26, 2014.

November 7, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigations in Surrey and Penticton
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) announced that no charges have been approved for incidents that occurred on December 28, 2013 in Surrey and April 14, 2014 in Penticton, both of which involved the use of force by police officers.

October 23, 2014

Stanley Cup Riot Prosecution Update
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (the Branch), Ministry of Justice, confirms that criminal charges have been approved and sworn against an additional two adults for conduct alleged to have occurred during the 2011 Stanley Cup Riot in Vancouver.

October 20, 2014

Charge Approved Against Police Officer in Fatal Shooting
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that a charge of Second Degree Murder has been approved against a member of the Delta Police Department. The charge results from an on duty incident on November 8, 2012.

October 17, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigation on Princeton Incident
VictoriaThe Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against two members of the Princeton Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in relation to an allegation of excessive force on March 22, 2014.

October 16, 2014

No Charges Approved in Kelowna Police Pursuit Case
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB) of the Ministry of Justice announced that no charges will be laid against three members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police involved in a police pursuit in Kelowna on December 6, 2013 in which a male pedestrian sustained serious injuries when he was struck by the vehicle being pursued.

September 8, 2014

Decision of Special Prosecutor
VictoriaElection Act Election Act.against a corporation and two individuals. The charges arise out of conduct that is alleged to have occurred during the Port Moody-Coquitlam provincial by-election in 2012. The Chief Electoral Officer for British Columbia has given his written consent to the prosecution, as provided for under section 252 of the

August 27, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigation into Errington Incident
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against a member of the Oceanside Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachment for an incident that occurred on November 18, 2012, in which an individual suffered a significant facial injury while being placed under arrest.

August 13, 2014

Special Prosecutor Approves Charges in Bountiful Investigation
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that independent Special Prosecutor Peter Wilson, QC, has approved criminal charges against a number of individuals associated with the community known as Bountiful, near Creston, British Columbia. The charges allege polygamy and the unlawful removal of children under the age of 16 years from Canada with the intention that an act be committed outside Canada that would be an offence against section 151 (sexual interference) or 152 (invitation to sexual touching) of the Criminal Code.

August 6, 2014

Criminal Justice Branch Releases Public Education Materials: 2013/14 Annual Report and Plain-Language Information Sheets
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of Justice released its 2013/14 Annual Report. The Annual Report provides the public with information on the role of the B.C. Prosecution Service and the values that guide its work, as well as access to key operational data such as the volume of prosecution files that were approved in the 2013/14 fiscal year, and the aggregate outcomes of prosecution files that were concluded in this same time frame.

July 4, 2014

Crown Recommences Prosecution of Robert Frederick Widdifield
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced today that it has recommenced its prosecution of Robert Frederick Widdifield in Nanaimo Supreme Court on Indictment #74552, where Mr. Widdifield is charged with extortion and theft over $5,000.  

July 3, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigations involving Police Service Dogs
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced today that no charges have been approved in relation to separate incidents involving the use of police service dogs (PSDs) in the arrest of suspects on November 18, 2013 in Surrey and on December 19, 2013 in Victoria. Each incident was investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO).

June 30, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigations
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced today that no charges have been approved against the police officers involved in two on-duty motor vehicle collisions which occurred in Langley on June 23, 2013 and in Vancouver on November 14, 2013. In each case a civilian involved received serious injuries.

June 10, 2014

Crown Files Appeal from Sentence in Dangerous Offender Case
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that on May 14, 2014 it filed an Appeal from Sentence in the case of R. v. D.J.S. [British Columbia Supreme Court (Smithers) File #21387-2; Court of Appeal File CA41809 (Vancouver)].

June 6, 2014

Stanley Cup Riot Charge Update
Victoria - As the three year anniversary of the June 15, 2011 Stanley Cup Riot is approaching, the Criminal Justice Branch (the Branch), Ministry of Justice considers it in the public interest to provide an update on the status of the related prosecution files. Since the last update on February 20, 2014, criminal charges were approved and sworn against an additional five adults in connection with the Stanley Cup Riot.

May 26, 2014

No Charges Approved in IIO Investigation
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against a Langley RCMP officer with respect to an incident which was investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO). The incident took place in Langley on September 22, 2013, and involved the officer directing a civilian to cease performing CPR on a man who had experienced a medical event while driving.

May 26, 2014

Opinion: making sure charge assessment dialogue is well-informed
Victoria - On May 14, 2014, the Vancouver Sun published an article which suggested that the standard of a “substantial likelihood of conviction” is too high for allegations of violent offending, and should be revisited. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Suzanne Anton, QC, has responded to the commentary, providing the public with important information on how pre-charge assessment works; some of the policy rationale underlying the model; and expressing her confidence in its continued application.

May 12, 2014

Criminal Justice Branch Releases Justice Reform Report and 2014/15 – 2016/17 Strategic Plan
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of Justice released a Progress Report on Proposals for Reform in Criminal Justice, which provides details on the completed, and ongoing, reforms undertaken by the Branch in response to government’s 2012 Justice Reform Initiative.

April 17, 2014

Charges Approved in Amanda Todd Case
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice (CJB) confirmed that charges have been approved against an adult male resident of the Netherlands in connection with the alleged online extortion of Amanda Todd.

April 14, 2014

No Charges Approved against Lakeland Mills Ltd.
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges will be approved in relation to the fire and explosion on April 23, 2012 at a sawmill operated by Lakeland Mills Ltd. in Prince George. Tragically, two workers died and 22 others were injured as a result of this incident.

March 31, 2014

No Charges Approved in Two IIO Investigations
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved against police officers involved in two incidents which occurred in April and in August of 2013, and were investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO). The incidents took place in Vancouver and Williams Lake respectively.

March 13, 2014

The Criminal Justice Branch announced appointments of three separate Special Prosecutors in relation to the following matters
Victoria - R. v. Leslie. On November 1, 2013, Michael Tammen, QC, was appointed as a Special Prosecutor in relation to an RCMP investigation into abusive and threatening comments directed towards Member of the Legislative Assembly Mike Bernier.
R. v. Leonardo Nathan Fierro. On January 17, 2014, Kris Pechet was appointed as a Special Prosecutor in relation to an allegation that a prosecutor was threatened during a bail hearing in Nelson.
R. v. Michael Melvin Williams. On March 11, 2014, Mark Jetté was appointed as a Special Prosecutor in relation to an incident which occurred at the constituency office of Member of the Legislative Assembly Spencer Chandra Herbert.

February 20, 2014

Stanley Cup Riot Charge Update
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of Justice, British Columbia’s Prosecution Service, confirms that charges have been approved and sworn against an additional 14 adults in connection with the Stanley Cup Riot on June 15, 2011.

February 17, 2014

Prostitution-Related Cases Will Continue in B.C.
Victoria - In response to a recent decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Criminal Justice Branch has provided British Columbia prosecutors with guidelines to assist them in assessing the public interest in proceeding with prostitution-related offences.

January 29, 2014

No Charges Approved in Three IIO Investigations
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch (CJB), Ministry of Justice, announced that no charges have been approved in three separate incidents which occurred in the summer of 2013, and were investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO).

January 16, 2014

Bountiful – Update from Special Prosecutor
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch confirms that special prosecutor Peter Wilson, QC is continuing his charge assessment review in relation to individuals associated to the community of Bountiful.

January 10, 2014

No Charges Approved against Babine Forest Products
Victoria - The Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Justice, announced that no criminal or regulatory charges will be approved in relation to the explosion(s) and fire that destroyed the Babine Forest Products sawmill at Burns Lake, on January 20, 2012.