Legislature spending scandal: Former B.C. clerk pleads not guilty to five charges, trial set for January
The former clerk of the B.C. legislature has pleaded not guilty to five charges including breach of trust and fraud, just as a judge tossed out one of the accusations against him.
A spokesman for the Crown prosecutor's office says Craig James appeared in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria on Thursday to enter the plea.
The charges came after an RCMP investigation into spending by senior staff on personal expenses at the provincial legislature.
James had originally been charged with six counts, but in a ruling posted online Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes quashed the first breach of trust charge for several reasons, including that it duplicated other charges and could prejudice the trial process.
Lawyers for James argued at a hearing in May that the first count alleging the breach in connection with his duties was a duplicate charge and would only confuse the jury at trial.
However, the prosecution service said in an emailed statement that James has now elected a trial by judge alone on three charges of breach of trust and two counts of fraud, with the trial expected to begin in Vancouver in January.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.