A former Calgary and Mississauga mayoral candidate known for his anti-mask activism during the COVID-19 pandemic has been released on bail and placed under house arrest.
The development comes after he was intercepted by U.S. border patrol agents while trying to cross to Montana on foot.
Attorney Ian McCuaig confirmed Tuesday that Kevin J. Johnston has been released on a $ 2,500 deposit and will not be able to legally leave his home without his sponsor, Andrew Lineker.
A sponsor is someone who is willing to supervise and vouch for an individual, a condition that can be imposed during a bail hearing.
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Kevin J. Johnston arrested trying to cross US-Canada border on foot
The presiding judiciary also placed a ban on Johnston from restricting the possession of any devices with an internet connection, in addition to instructions to keep the peace and be on good behavior.
“I would not say it was a permission exemption, but it was almost a permission exemption. “It was not completely disputed,” McCuaig told Global News.
McCuaig said Johnston was very pleased that he was released, but declined to comment on whether Johnston intended to follow the court’s orders.
“The only advice I can give my clients is that they must comply with court orders.”
Johnston was due to complete his 40-day suspended sentence for violating public health measures over the 2021 Christmas weekend, when he did not appear in jail.
Warrants for his arrest were issued after Calgary police were unable to locate Johnston.
U.S. authorities arrested Johnston “lost” early on Jan. 4 near the Montana North Dakota state line, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman said at the time. He was detained in Montana before returning to Calgary.
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The court proceedings Tuesday afternoon did not include a number of cases before other courts in which Johnston was involved.
On January 4, he was due to begin serving an 18-month sentence of a high court in Ontario, where he was found in contempt of court in connection with a 2019 court order banning him from making defamatory statements about a restaurant in To make Ontario.
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Sentencing for a case of willful promotion of hatred against Johnston is expected in early March.
Johnston is yet to stand trial on charges of assaulting an incident in March 2021 in Dawson Creek, BC
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Reference-globalnews.ca