Townsman Staff
A man has been charged for allegedly threatening and harassing a female Criminal Justice Branch employee in Cranbrook.
Darryl Bruce McDowell was arrested on April 30 and appeared in Cranbrook Provincial Court on May 2.
According to the B.C. Criminal Justice Branch, McDowell is charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and criminal harassment, in connection with incidents in or near Cranbrook between August 2011 and September 2012.
"The Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of Justice today announced that Special Prosecutor Robert Bruneau has approved charges against Darryl Bruce McDowell in connection with allegations that he threatened and criminally harassed an employee of the Criminal Justice Branch as a result of the employee's work on behalf of the Branch," reads a May 9 statement.
Charges against McDowell were sworn in Cranbrook Provincial Court on January 8 and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was arrested last week.
McDowell was released on bail on May 2 and his next court appearance is in Grand Forks Provincial Court on May 21.
"The Criminal Justice Branch deferred announcing the appointment and decision until such time as Mr. McDowell had been arrested on the outstanding warrant," reads the statement.
Because the alleged victim is an employee of the Criminal Justice Branch, a special prosecutor was brought in to approve charges against McDowell "to avoid any real or perceived improper influence in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion," the statement says.
Robert Bruneau, a Kamloops lawyer, received the report against McDowell by the RCMP in May 2012 and conducted an independent charge review. He will also conduct the prosecution of McDowell.