Hulgaard court matter may soon be settled

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 6, 2023.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The new lawyer for a Hat man accused of breaking a court order to cease spreading hatred against Jewish people says the matter may soon be settled, but a provincial court judge said Thursday that if not, it will be set for a hearing.

Judge Mark Mastel told Medicine Hat provincial court he will order the court scheduling office to have first available dates ready when a lawyer for Loki Holger Hulgaard and Crown prosecutors are scheduled to present a joint resolution.

“This has been 18 months when a breach of conditions (charge) is to be dealt with in 45 days,” said Mastel.

“My hope is that we set a date in a week’s time, and it will be the first available.”

Hulgaard was charged in July 2021 by probation officers who claim they found a large amount of anti-Semitic material at his home. They also allege in court documents that Hulgaard had not removed online manifestos as required when he was sentenced in late 2020 to serve house arrest and probation for passing currency stamped with racist slogans in 2018.

On Thursday, an agent for Calgary-based defence attorney Naveed Anwar told court that advanced discussions were underway with federal special prosecutions office, and a resolution may be presented on Jan. 12.

Prosecutors agreed, and Mastel made the order noting that three different judges are recused from hearing the case. That can make scheduling complicated, said the judge, who added the case will advance at that time.

Originally hearing dates in the current case were set last April for pre-trial hearing in November, then a trial date in December, but at the earlier date the accused dismissed his attorney and announced he was seeking new counsel.

The trial dates were held in place, however, in hopes the matter might proceed, but Anwar appeared in December to come on the record and asked for a further extension to review the case and discuss the matter with his client and prosecutors.

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