A fourth charge has been added to the case against former Coquitlam mayor Jon Kingsbury.
The indictment against Kingsbury sworn into B.C. Supreme Court in September lists an additional charge of fraud over $5,000.
Langley RCMP announced in March 2009 that Crown prosecutors had approved three charges against Kingsbury: theft over $5,000, personation with intent to gain advantage and causing a person to use a forged document.
Kingsbury was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary inquiry on the three charges found there was sufficient evidence for a trial in March, and the fourth charge was added then.
Get daily National news
Crown spokesperson Neil MacKenzie confirmed all four charges will be heard together in New Westminster next month.
“The Crown’s proceeding on this additional count when the trial goes ahead,” he said.
The charges arose out of Langley, where a trailer was taken to Travelhome RV Marketplace for warranty repairs. Police have alleged that Kingsbury showed up to claim the 27-foot-long recreational trailer on Aug. 14, 2008, posing as a former business associate to drive it away. He was arrested on Oct. 9, 2008.
Kingsbury, however, has maintained he owned the trailer as part of a business deal.
Peter Schmidt, Kingsbury’s defence counsel, said the fourth charge did not come as a surprise, as the additional charge arose from the same alleged circumstances as the previous three charges.
“It was something that was discussed with Crown prior to the prelim, and the charges were approved at the prelim,” he said. “It doesn’t add any new facts to the circumstances.”
Kingsbury was first elected as a Coquitlam councillor in 1987 and served as mayor from 1998 to 2005, when he lost his re-election bid to challenger Maxine Wilson by a mere 52 votes after a judicial recount.
Five days have been set aside in Supreme Court for the trial, which begins on Oct. 18.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.