The release of a violent offender with 51 convictions sparked debate in the B.C. legislature on Oct. 24, about what the opposition calls 含羞草研究社渃atch and release含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渟oft on crime含羞草研究社� NDP government policies.
Karin Kirpatrick, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano and official opposition critic, stood up during question period to ask why Tyler Jack Newton, a man who is convicted of manslaughter for an unprovoked fatal knife attack in 2014, was once again released from prison.
含羞草研究社淓very day there is another catch-and-release horror story. Tyler Newton is a violent prolific offender,含羞草研究社� said Kirpatrick.
In 2016, Newton was sentenced to 4.5 more years behind bars on top of the half credit for the 602 days he had already served for fatally stabbing Caesar Rosales in Kelowna.
READ MORE: Kelowna bus killer含羞草研究社檚 sentence is 含羞草研究社榓n insult,含羞草研究社� says victim含羞草研究社檚 family
Newton was then arrested in September 2022 for aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. He was then released and when he failed to appear for a court date, triggering a province-wide warrant for his arrest on Oct. 6.
BC Prosecution Service confirmed that on Oct. 21, Newton had his release set at $500 含羞草研究社渨ith conditions designed to ensure the safety of the public and the justice system participants.含羞草研究社�
The Kelowna court registry said that the conditions of his release include a no-contact order with the alleged victim of the assault, the requirement to live at a pre-determined address, which they called a 含羞草研究社渉alfway house含羞草研究社�, a curfew, no weapons, no drugs or alcohol, travel restrictions, that the requirement that he reports to his supervisor, and attends all court dates.
Kirpatrick said that parole documents show that Newton has 含羞草研究社渂latantly and repeatedly disregarded release conditions,含羞草研究社� and is a high-risk offender with a history of breaching parole.
Hon. Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, responded with the issues surrounding repeat offenders are the 含羞草研究社渦nintended consequences of the bail reform act of 2019.含羞草研究社�
The bail reform act of 2019 stems from Bill C-75, where bail provisions were updated in Canada含羞草研究社檚 Criminal Code, allowing for 含羞草研究社減rinciple restraint含羞草研究社� to be used by police and courts to ensure that 含羞草研究社渞elease at the earliest opportunity is favoured over detention含羞草研究社� and with less strict bail conditions according to rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Kirpatrick said that the opposition is calling on the NDP to issue a directive to Crown prosecutors that puts 含羞草研究社渢he right of the community含羞草研究社檚 safety ahead of the criminal含羞草研究社檚 right to re-offend.含羞草研究社�
Rankin said that the NDP government is working to reinstate programs that had been cancelled by the former government and are currently implementing programs that were suggested by an independent review board.
Rankin added that the provincial government is working with municipal and federal agencies to deal with 含羞草研究社渘ot just the crime but the causes of crime as well.含羞草研究社�
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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