Neepawa man charged with harassment, denied bail – Brandon Sun

A Neepawa man charged with repeatedly harassing his ex-wife and their children was denied bail after a Brandon judge decided he could not be trusted to leave the woman alone.

The 42-year-old man, who the Sun is not naming to protect the victims’ identities, is charged with harassing telephone calls, mischief, criminal intimidation and 11 counts of failing to comply with court orders. He made an unsuccessful bid for bail in Brandon provincial court on Thursday.

His charges are still in court and he remains innocent until proven guilty

Crown attorney Reid Girard argued the man should be detained, citing the likelihood he would reoffend and said releasing him would bring the justice system into disrepute.

In February, the man pleaded guilty to assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-wife in front of their children after she found evidence he was cheating on her and she tried to leave. He poured vodka on her and lit a lighter.

The man was arrested and subsequently released on a protective order, which he violated.

The man then allegedly sent more than 100 text messages and 50 phone calls to his ex-wife between July 8 and 11.

He also drove to her house and into her yard, spinning his tires and damaging her lawn. The woman believes he did this because he found out she had a new boyfriend, the Crown said.

After learning about her boyfriend, the woman said she received 600 text messages and 300 phone calls in 10 hours asking about her boyfriend and asking to see the children.

Girard emphasized that the Crown’s case against the man was strong because they have evidence of the text messages and phone calls.

“In April he pleaded guilty to violating his release order by having contact with (the victim), and now we have allegations of relentless communication with the victim, flagrantly violating his no contact order and make the victim fear for her own safety and the safety of her children,” the prosecutor said.

He said Crown was concerned the man’s behavior would escalate if released and that his release, given the allegations, would “shock a member of the general public”.

Jordon Hildebrandt, the man’s lawyer, told the court that his client runs his own business and has lost several contracts necessary for his livelihood as a result of the allegations.

The defense attorney presented a bail plan that he said would “replicate” a prison sentence by having his client comply with a 24-hour curfew and be supervised by a surety. He also proposed conditions that would prevent the 42-year-old from using any communication system other than a landline.

Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta disagreed with the Crown’s argument that releasing the man would bring the justice system into disrepute, but said she was concerned about the man’s likelihood of reoffending.

“Essentially (the suspect) is a man who is at risk of losing everything right now and people in desperate circumstances are concerned… especially in a situation like this where there is a domestic issue and an (alleged) fixation,” she said, refusing the man’s bail.

The man’s case will next appear in court in Minnedosa on November 19.

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