Rather than stand trial for sexual assault a second time, Jian Ghomeshi will sign a peace bond Wednesday which will lead to the charges being withdrawn.
A peace bond is a term which we rarely hear during criminal proceedings, so what exactly is it?
According to the Department of Justice, “it is used where an individual (the defendant) appears likely to commit a criminal offence, but there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has actually been committed.”
Generally, it is used by the government as a preventative measure against organized crime, terrorism, or as in this case, domestic violence.
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There are several conditions that can be imposed on Ghomeshi by the peace bond including making no attempt to contact the person, limits on the use of drugs and/or alcohol, not being allowed to own weapons and a cash bond, which could be forfeited if he were to violate the bond.
In addition, the court may impose other conditions that may prevent harm.
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The peace bond can be imposed for up to 12 months in which the defendant is required to keep the peace and be on good behaviour.
If Ghomeshi were to violate the peace bond, he could face up to four years in prison.
With files from the Canadian Press