The father of convicted murderer Christopher Garnier has filed an application for a peace bond against the brother-in-law of the victim.
Vince Paul Garnier, 54, filed the motion against Calvin Garneau in Halifax Provincial Court on Friday.
Included in the filing as additional complainants are Vince Garnier’s wife Angela, ex-wife Kim Edmunds, and Christopher’s common-law partner, Brittany Francis.
Christopher Garnier, 30, is also named as a complainant. He faces an automatic sentence of life in prison after being convicted in December of second-degree murder and interfering with a dead body in the killing of 36-year-old Catherine Campbell.
Christopher was convicted of strangling Campbell, an off-duty Truro police constable, and dumping her body in a compost bin near a Halifax harbour bridge on Sept. 11, 2015.
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In his application, Vince Garnier says that between Nov. 21, 2017, and Dec. 20, 2017, Garneau swerved his vehicle “within mere feet” of the group as they were in the parking garage at the Halifax Law Courts during the murder trial.
Garnier alleges that on May 28, Garneau called the complainants “pieces of s**t” while staring directly at them from six or seven feet away.
He also alleges that Garneau spat at Christopher and Edmunds as they walked with legal counsel, family and friends on the third floor of the Law Courts during the trial.
As a result of the alleged actions, Garnier says he fears that Garneau will cause personal injury to him or his family, or damage their property.
“While we understand that emotions can cause people to do things they may not otherwise do, we need to believe that we will be safe while attending court, while we are at home, or walking in public,” Vince Garnier wrote in a statement to Global News.
“For this reason, we found it appropriate to seek a legal recourse.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Vince Garnier says he has also filed a complaint with the Halifax Regional Police about the incidents.
WATCH: Jury finds Christopher Garnier guilty of second-degree murder in death of Catherine Campbell
Requests for comment from Garneau — who is married to Campbell’s older sister, Amy — were not immediately returned.
However, The Chronicle Herald reported Tuesday that the incidents were news to him.
Garneau told the Herald he was not even in Halifax for the trial.
“I was home with our kids,” he said.
“The last court date, May 28, was the only time I was there.”
Vince Garnier says his family is sorry for the death of Campbell.
“We regularly pray for her parents and family. We know that many people are hurting in ways that are absolutely indescribable. Two families have been forever changed,” he said in a statement.
The application is due in Halifax night court on June 19, where a hearing will likely be set to determine whether there are grounds for the peace bond.
READ MORE: Girlfriend of convicted murderer Christopher Garnier calls him kind, genuine
The sentencing hearing that would have determined the parole eligibility for Christopher Garnier is scheduled to resume Aug. 13 and 14.
It was adjourned on May 31 after several legal issues arose.
The Crown argues Garnier should have to serve 16 years before he’s able to apply for parole, while the defence argues for a parole ineligibility period of 10 years.
With files from Natasha Pace and the Canadian Press
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