The man charged with abducting and kidnapping three-year-old Sparwood resident Kienan Hebert will not be released from jail before being tried in the new year.

Randall Hopley, 46, this morning (Dec. 19) appeared before Judge Grant Sheard in Cranbrook Provincial Court for a bail hearing, via video feed from Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.

Hopley’s defence lawyer William Thorne noted that bail for his client was “a reverse onus situation” and there would be no request for bail. Thorne said outside the court that his client did not expect bail would be granted because of a previous breach of bail for an earlier (alleged) break and enter charge in Alberta.

Meanwhile, Thorne said he is working through “a significant amount of disclosure” and will enter his client’s pleas to the charges during a Feb. 20 court appearance, again via video feed, and fix a date for trial. At that time it will be determined if he is tried in Provincial Court, by a judge alone, or in Supreme Court by a judge and jury.

Hopley will also be in court Jan. 18, via video feed, to face two previous breaches of bail charges for the alleged B&E charges in Alberta.

Thorne said his client is in better physical condition after spending time in jail, including a two-month psychiatric assessment that resulted in him being found capable of standing trial.

The Randall Hopley/Kienan Hebert story became the hottest news item in Canada for several days prior to Hopley’s Sept. 13 arrest in Crowsnest Pass, after young Kienan had been returned to his family home in the middle of the night, apparently unharmed. A massive search and then manhunt was undertaken by the RCMP and volunteers. Please see separate story on last week’s honours handed out by the RCMP.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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