HALIFAX – The Crown is reviewing charges against a man accused of possessing dangerous chemicals in Halifax.
Crown attorney Terri Lipton said Thursday outside provincial court that prosecutors are looking at whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction against Christopher Burton Phillips.
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The 42-year-old man is charged with uttering threats and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Phillips was in court Thursday for a brief appearance and was remanded into custody after his lawyer Mike Taylor said he isn’t applying for bail due to complications involving his family and arranging a place to stay.
“Unfortunately, people are afraid of simply getting involved,” he said. “Not afraid of Mr. Phillips, that’s been made very clear to me, but afraid of getting involved because of the publicity attached to this.”
The judge scheduled a preliminary trial for May 26 but urged lawyers to try to find an earlier date. A focus hearing for the Crown and defence was also set for March 3.
Phillips was charged after police alleged that dozens of different chemicals were found in various states of degradation inside a cottage and shed in the Halifax community of Grand Desert.
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The RCMP said the chemicals posed an extreme fire risk to the area due to their volatility and ordered an evacuation of nearby homes that lasted for five days.
The Mounties have also alleged in a sworn information at provincial court that Phillips, a former U.S. resident, threatened a police officer.
Taylor said last week the accusation that Phillips threatened police was based on an email he sent to a friend that was misconstrued.
He also said Phillips believes he had the chemicals for legitimate reasons and they weren’t intended for illegal purposes.
Lipton said the Crown would not pursue additional charges against Phillips related to the unsafe storage of chemicals.
With files from Natasha Pace, Global News
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