GORE BAY–Clinton Gordon Haggart did not appear in Gore Bay court on Friday, August 22, when his bail hearing was adjourned until Friday, September 5 at 10 am. Mr. Haggart, 30, has been charged with seven counts of arson after a series of suspicious fires occurred in homes, sheds and storage units in Little Current within a two-month period. He remains in custody in district jail in Sudbury.
The request for adjournment was agreed in a brief exchange between Assistant Crown Attorney Kara Vakiparta and Her Worship Judge L.A. Toulouse, without the accused being present in person or via video conference.
On Thursday, August 14, Mr. Haggart appeared in court in Gore Bay via video conference from the Sudbury detention centre where he is currently being held. The following charges against Mr. Haggart were read before the court: intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to personal property owned by Clinton Haggart, 25 Wilson Street East, Northeast Town, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, under Section 434.1 of the Criminal Code on June 13, 2014, and intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a dwelling house, property of Ontario Aboriginal Services, 25 Wilson Street East (the home of the Haggart family); intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a dwelling owned by Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, 35 Blake Street West (the home of Mr. Haggart’s mother-in-law, Margaret Bowerman); intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a garage, property of Lorne Alston, on July 23 at 15 Blake Street West; intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a shed, property of Jamie Still, on August 5, 26 Blake Street West; intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a dwelling/recreation centre, property of Michael Maciuk, on August 7, 21 Campbell Street West (the Island Training Centre); and intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a storage facility, property of Floyd James Renton, on August 7, 23 Campbell Street West (the former Little Current curling rink).
The OPP is asking anyone with information on any of these fires please to contact police at 1-888-310-1122 or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Correction: In its August 20, 2014 edition, The Expositor erroneously reported that Clinton Gordon Haggart had been denied bail on August 14. Mr. Haggart’s bail hearing was put over until August 22 and then again to September 5. The Expositor regrets the error.
