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Accused in Amber Alert ‘not a monster’: Defence

Sep 25, 2018 | 2:09 PM

The lawyer for the accused in a recent Amber Alert says his client is not a monster, and there may be video footage to prove his innocence.

Johnathan Ryann Gunville, 19, of North Battleford remains in custody and faces charges including: abduction, unlawful confinement, abandoning a child, dangerous operation of a vehicle, theft of a vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, evading police, driving while disqualified and failing to comply with a probation order. 

The charges relate to an Amber Alert on Sept. 16 as well as two other vehicle thefts on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20. 

The Amber Alert was triggered when an SUV parked outside a strip mall in North Battleford was stolen with a six-year-old girl in the backseat. The vehicle, with the girl still in the backseat, was located in a field the next morning. 

While Gunville remains in custody, his recent court appearances are in relation to an upcoming bail hearing, which was stalled as his lawyer said there is upcoming evidence that requires review.

Outside court, defence lawyer Bill Archer said there is security camera footage related to the case he needs to obtain to determine whether in fact it was his client behind the wheel.

“Before I make any major decisions on the file, I would like to see it,” he said.

Archer said Gunville resided at The Lighthouse prior to his arrest. 

He said in his opinion, if in fact it was his client involved in the case, that Gunville wouldn’t have been aware there was a child in the back seat of the vehicle. 

Archer said the big issue in the case is whether it will go to trial or not. 

“There has been an awful lot of attention with respect to this case,” he added. “That’s understandable.”

Archer said his client’s cognitive challenge will be a reference point in his defence.

“I want to make it perfectly clear, Johnny is not an evil monster,” he said. “He is a troubled kid, intellectually-challenged. In some respect you can characterize the case as there were two kids in that car. One was driving and ought not to have been driving. One was in the car seat. Both of them have intellectual challenges,” Archer said.

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Commenting on this story is closed now that the matter is before the court. 

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

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