WESTLOCK – A youth arrested under a Canada-wide warrant in connection with the brutal attack on an 18-year-old woman near Long Island Lake last year has been granted bail.
The accused, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, appeared in Westlock Court of Justice Jan. 22 via CCTV from a youth detention centre.
Crown prosecutor Eric Mosley had opposed the youth’s release on all three grounds considered in bail hearings: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary grounds concern the risk of the accused fleeing; secondary grounds address concerns about public safety due to the likelihood of re-offending; and tertiary grounds, which are reserved for more serious offences and deals with whether detention is necessary to maintain confidence in the administration of justice.
Justice Gordon Putnam granted the youth bail on strict conditions and issued a publication ban on the details that came out during the lengthy bail hearing. His conditions include $5,000 cash bail, surrendering his passport to police, 24-hour house arrest, as well as 24-hour supervision by his parents at their Edmonton home. In addition, he is not to be in possession of any weapons, must abstain from drugs and alcohol, and not have contact with the victim or his three other co-accused.
The youth, who RCMP say turned himself in to Edmonton Police on Jan. 16, faces charges of attempted murder, robbery, uttering threats, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He is one of four youths charged in connection with the incident that occurred in September 2024.
Westlock RCMP allege that the four youths took the victim to a remote wooded area in Westlock County, where they attacked her, leaving her for dead. Three youths were arrested in September, and in November, a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for the fourth individual, the one now appearing in court.
Earlier this month, two of the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and chose to be tried by judge and jury in the Court of King’s Bench. A preliminary hearing date is expected to be set soon. A lawyer for a fourth accused has expressed a desire to resolve the matter through a plea agreement.
The Crown is proceeding by indictment and is seeking to have the youth sentenced as adults if convicted.
