A Revelstoke man charged with voyeurism pleaded not guilty to the charges in Revelstoke court on Wednesday.
Aaron John Winger, 38, made his second appearance in Revelstoke on Mar. 6. He is charged with two counts of secretly observing or recording nudity in a private place.
The charges date to incidents on Dec. 3, 2012, and Jan. 5, 2013. On that second date, a staff member alleged to have observed Winger sliding his cell phone under a change room door inside the family changing room at the aquatic centre.
The case will now be scheduled for trial at a later date. The charges have yet to be proven in court.
The charges do not involve children, Staff-Sgt. Jacquie Olsen of the Revelstoke RCMP told the Times Review.
No Show at First Appearance for man arrested in 2011 assault case
A Revelstoke man charged in connection with a random violent assault in April 2011 had his first appearance in court last Wednesday – but he didn’t bother to show up.
Dawson Allan Lindsay was arrested in Estevan, Sask., on Jan. 26, more than a year after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was wanted in connection with an April 2011 assault that left a man in hospital for three days. He was released on a promise to appear in court last week.
Neither he nor his lawyer, Rod Gregory, showed up in court but lawyer Chris Johnston, acting as an agent, said he was instructed to ask for a one month adjournment.
It is fairly common for an accused to not show up for a first court appearance, especially if they have obtained the services of a lawyer. However, Crown prosecutor Bill Hilderman said he had not had any communication with Lindsay’s lawyer. Judge Mark Takahashi ordered Gregory to appear on behalf of his client in Salmon Arm court on Mar. 19.
Tyler James Colt McKay was also arrested in connection with the assault. He pleaded not guilty and is set to go to trial next month.
Rotary tent slasher back in court
One of the youths charged with slashing the Rotary tents at the 2011 Glacier Challenge Softball Tournament has agreed to enter a youth attendance program after failing to complete his court-ordered community service,
The youth, who cannot be identified, was one of three who pleaded guilty to mischief over $5,000 for destroying the tents.
He was back in court for breaching his probation after being caught smoking marijuana, and for failing to complete the 50 hours of community service he was ordered to do.
Prosecutor Bill Hilderman said that an updated pre-sentencing report recommended he attend a treatment program for six months.
Lawyer Chris Johnston said the youth had very little supervision in his life and could benefit from more attention to his social needs.
The young offender told the court he was willing to attend the Kootenay East Youth attendance program in Cranbrook.
Man pleads guilty for running small grow operation
A father pleaded guilty to a crime that his son was also implicated in Revelstoke court last Wednesday.
William David Young pleaded guilty to production of a controlled substance and was sentenced to a six month conditional sentence, with three months house arrest and three months of curfew.
Federal Crown prosecutor Nick Vlahos told the court that police uncovered a small marijuana grow operation of about 170 plants while conducting aerial patrols of logging roads around Revelstoke. RCMP set up remote cameras and were able to take photos of Young and his son placing a tarp over the grow operation.
Young’s lawyer, Melissa Klages, told the court that the marijuana was for personal use and that Young used it to relieve pain for a number of ailments, including back pain, arthritis and a bleeding ulcer. He is allergic to codeine and used marijuana instead to relive his pain. He is now seeking a medical marijuana license.
Charges against the son were stayed.
In his ruling, Judge Mark Takahashi noted the operation was small and unsophisticated, and that the marijuana was only for personal use as pain medication.
Man fined for skiing in closed area of Glacier National Park
A Kelowna man was fined $500 for skiing in a permanently closed area in Glacier National Park in Revelstoke court last Wednesday.
Daniel James Phillips pleaded guilty to contravening National Parks Act regulations by skiing in a permanently closed area on Dec. 30, 2012.
According to crown prosecutor Nick Vlahos, Phillips hiked up through a restricted area, but on his descent he entered into a permanently restricted area.
His lawyer, Melissa Klages, said visibility was poor that day and it was not clear where they were skiing. She called it an “honest mistake” and asked for a reduced fine.
However, Judge Mark Takahashi said Phillips should have taken more precautions to know where he was going. “The potential hazards of this gentleman’s activity were substantial,” he said.
He fined Phillips $500, with $400 going to the Canadian Avalanche Centre and the rest to the government.