GORE BAY—The criminal court case against Clinton Gordon Haggart of Little Current, aged 31, was again remanded during the latest hearing in Gore Bay Superior Court of Justice on December 15. Mr. Haggart, who did not appear in court, has been charged with seven counts of arson in five suspicious fires that occurred in Little Current last summer.
Speaking for Mr. Haggart’s defense lawyer Glenn Sandberg on Monday was André Guitard, who was also acting as Duty Counsel that day. Mr. Guitard said that Mr. Sandberg had not been informed of the December 15 hearing date by the agent who had spoken on his behalf at the previous hearing. Thus, Mr. Sandberg was not ready to address the court on Monday.
Presiding Judge Louise Serré asked Mr. Guitard whether a designation (deposition testimony) had been filed, to which he responded in the affirmative. During a previous hearing in November, the court heard that Mr. Sandberg had received disclosure (evidence) documents from the Crown Attorney’s office and was reviewing them.
Judge Serré then remanded Mr. Haggart’s hearing until Monday, January 26.
Mr. Haggart remains in custody in Sudbury; he made his first court appearance on August 14 via video conference from the detention centre.
The charges against Mr. Haggart are: 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 17, 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 17, 23 Campbell Street West (the former Little Current curling rink).
by Isobel Harry
