A show cause hearing on bail for a defendant charged with numerous firearms offences arising from an incident on April 15, 2019.
The defendant was alleged to have fled from police while carrying three loaded handguns, which were abandoned in publicly accessible locations.
The Crown sought detention on secondary and tertiary grounds.
The defendant proposed a strict release plan with a 24-hour curfew and four proposed sureties.
The court found the defendant met his onus on the primary ground but failed to overcome the secondary and tertiary grounds for detention.
The court was particularly concerned with the credibility of the proposed sureties, the defendant's apparent criminal lifestyle, and the absence of evidence of the defendant's commitment to supervision.
The court also considered the COVID-19 pandemic context and expert evidence regarding jail conditions, but concluded that the serious nature of the allegations and likelihood of conviction outweighed the health concerns.
