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Rally Outside Court As Trial Begins

Update: Crown Explains Its Side of Sagmoen Discharge

Dec 13, 2018 | 3:06 PM

Update 3 pm

A North Okanagan man has been given an absolute discharge by a provincial court judge in Vernon after pleading guilty to mischief.

38 year old Curtis Sagmoen plead guilty mischief causing damage to property, a lesser offence than what he was to have gone on trial for today.

Through his lawyer, he admitted to putting a home made spike belt on a rural road near Falkland that flattered the tires of a woman driving an SUV in July 2017.

The Crown and defence jointly called for the discharge, which means the offence won’t go on his criminal record.

Dan McLaughlin of the BC Prosecution Service says the Crown’s position on Sagmoen’s application for an absolute discharge was taken after “a full review of the facts and circumstances of the case, the relevant case law and the background of the offender.”

“The decision was made after consultation with the victim and the investigative agency. As Mr. Sagmoen has other matters before the court the BCPS will have no further comment on the resolution of this case or the factors that went in to the Crown’s decision,” McLaughlin tells Beach Radio News.

Sagmoen is also facing several other charges in separate cases that will be back in court next month.

“Mr. Sagmoen remains in custody on a number of outstanding matters. He is scheduled to return to court on January 7, 2019 to fix trial dates in Vernon,” adds McLaughlin.

A group supporting missing and murdered indigenous women was demonstrating on the courthouse steps Thursday, as they have done for other court appearance by Sagmoen.

File photo


Update 12 pm

The trial of a North Okanagan man has reportedly come to a quick end in Vernon provincial court.

The Morning Star says Curtis Sagmoen has been given an absolute discharge on a charge of mischief laid after an an alleged incident in Falkland in 2017.

Beach Radio News is attempting to get details from the BC Prosecution Service.
 
Sagmoen is also facing several other charges in separate cases.

A group supporting missing and murdered indigenous women was been demonstrating on the courthouse steps, just as they have done for other court appearance by Sagmoen.


11 am

Demonstrators have been on the steps of the Vernon courthouse today, as a trial begins for a North Okanagan man.

Curtis Wayne Sagmoen is in court to be tried on a charge of mischief under $5,000 related to an alleged incident in Falkland last year.

A group supporting missing and murdered indigenous women has been demonstrating on the courthouse steps, just as they have done for other court appearance by Sagmoen.

The 38 year old is also facing several other charges in separate cases.