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More than 400 police files since 2016, and now Justin Collins is facing three new charges.
Collins was back in court Tuesday, charged with one count of committing an indecent act in public and one count of mischief, both stemming from Feb. 16. A third mischief charge is tied to an incident on March 3. He was released on bail set at $250, with conditions.
“Beyond infuriating when you read something like that, and you’re like, ‘Are you kidding me,’” said Kristina Loewen, BC Conservative MLA for Kelowna Centre.
Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas says bail decisions are based on specific legal criteria, but he questions how Collins was released, based on his history.
“For a judge to look at granting bail for an individual, they have to say that the individual will not commit any more crimes, that they will show up for court, and that there is a level of comfort that there is not a safety risk to the community,” Dyas said.
Collins has a lengthy criminal history, including charges related to assault, robbery and mischief. In total, he has faced 64 charges over the past decade. His record also prompted a rare public warning from Kelowna RCMP in 2022.
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“Four hundred police files, I don’t know what the number is where it gets to the point where it’s serious enough that they are going to deal with it properly,” Dyas added.
Frustration is growing among some officials, as Collins, described by some as a prominent example of catch-and-release, is once again back in the community.
Loewen says opposition politicians at both the provincial and federal levels are pushing for changes to bail laws.
“I just was back in Ottawa speaking to Bill C-14 and Bill C-42, that we need tougher laws around bail reform and repeat offenders,” Dyas said.
In a statement, B.C.’s attorney general pointed to the province’s repeat violent offending intervention initiative, saying it has shown strong results.
“The Province’s repeat violent-offending program (ReVOII) has also shown strong results, with an evaluation shows 50% fewer police interactions involving accused individuals and faster charge approvals for high-risk violent offenders,” said the ministry.
“Building on ReVOII’s early success, the Province is expanding a similar initiative, Chronic Property Offending Intervention Initiative (C‑POII), provincewide with $16 million over two years to address persistent property and public‑disorder offending.”
Collins is back in court on March 31.
“As politicians in the opposition, both in our province and across the country, are fighting for changes to federal and provincial laws,” said Loewen.
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