Former city council candidate James van Damme remains behind bars, pending an adequate release plan created by his lawyer.
Van Damme appeared in St. Albert Provincial Court Monday via closed-circuit television from the Edmonton Remand Centre and will remain locked up for at least one more week.
Lawyer Laurie Wood was not present in court Monday and the matter was put over to Dec. 17 in hopes of having a release plan.
“The allegations themselves are in the moderately serious end of things,” said Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor. “There needs to be some sort of a plan if this person is released.”
Taylor said this plan will address health care needs as well as where van Damme will live and how he will go about his daily life.
Van Damme has been in custody since Oct. 14 and faces two charges of uttering threats and two charges of breaching a protection order – one of which is a new charge.
Much of his time behind bars has been served at the Alberta Hospital, while waiting for a psychological assessment.
“I plan to focus on the future,” van Damme told the court. “I’m apologetic. I just want to get on with my life.”
Van Damme has been denied bail since before his first appearance in St. Albert Provincial Court on Oct. 15.
Van Damme ran for city council in the 2010 municipal election, placing 10th in a field of 13 candidates. Days prior to his arrest, van Damme apparently posted several comments to social media that were deemed a threat to St. Albert RCMP.
Fort McMurray cocaine dealer Amanda Gilbert will serve her two-year jail sentence in the community, Judge Bruce Garriock ruled Monday.
Gilbert, 20, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and was handed a two-year conditional sentence, requiring her to be under house arrest for the first year and abide by a curfew for the second year. She will face an additional year of probation.
“(Dealing) is pushing misery out into that community,” said federal Crown prosecutor Kevin Short, adding drugs are a prominent problem in the northern Alberta municipality.
Gibson was found with just under two ounces of cocaine at the time of the offence nearly one year ago.
Lawyer Brennan Clarkson said Gilbert has been seeking treatment for drug, alcohol and mental health concerns since March.
“She’s remorseful and admits responsibility,” he said. “There’s very little risk of her reoffending at this stage.”
The courtroom was filled with numerous family and friends, who could be heard crying throughout the proceedings.
Gilbert is prohibited from owning weapons for 10 years and must complete 120 hours of community service during the second year of her sentence.
