British Columbia politicians are calling for action on bail reform following the release of a Vancouver man charged with four sex assaults.
Arturo Garica Gorjon, 45, was released shortly after being charged with multiple sexual assault charges for incidents that were alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2010.
The B.C. judge made the decision to release Gorjon on $15,000 bail, despite the recommendations of both police and Crown prosecutors.
Gorjon must report to a bail supervisor weekly, provide his home address and refrain from making applications for any international travel documents as part of his conditions. He is also not allowed to contact his alleged victims.
“We did ask for remand in this particular case,” said Deputy Vancouver Police Chief Fiona Wilson. “He went before a judge and the judge made the decision to release him with conditions.”
On Wednesday, the charges against Gorjon were announced by Vancouver police, over a decade since the attacks were initially reported.
In 2009, police launched an investigation into three 2009 assaults that were alleged to take place in Granville Island, the West End and Yaletown.
There wasn’t a break in the case however for another 12 years, until investigators were able to link another 2010 sex assault in downtown Vancouver to the first three.
The information from the fourth assault led police to Gorjon, who was arrested on July 21, 2023 in Regina. He is due to appear back in court on Sept. 12, 2023.
Gorjon’s release sheds light on a broken bail system, according to B.C. United Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon.
“It’s extremely disappointing, I have been saying for 18 months that this catch and release program we are seeing operate in this country, and especially in B.C., is not working for public safety,” said Falcon.
“Finally, somebody, please put the interest of public safety ahead of the right of that individual to reoffend.”
While Falcon agreed with Crown prosecutors recommendation to deny bail, he believes that they aren’t doing enough on a regular basis to demand the same.
It isn’t unusual for a judge to release someone on bail even if prosecutors disagree because the justice system is founded on a basis of innocence until proven guilty.
Defence lawyer Ian Donaldson said that judges must consider three factors when making a decision on whether or not to grant someone bail.
“Will the person show up, will they commit offences if released, and would the public confidence in the administration of justice be undermined by their release,” said Donaldson, who is not involved in the Gorjon case.
“Unless the Crown can demonstrate that one of those things requires detention, then this person was required to be released.”
Donaldson said that even if the person is at risk of not meeting those requirements, judges may still decide to release them with conditions like house arrest, bail surety or electronic monitoring, if they feel it will mitigate those risks.
On Thursday, B.C. Premier David Eby spoke about the need for bail reform and said that it must be done on a federal level, a sentiment many other premiers have already been pushing for.
“One of the reasons we believe this is happening is the courts are applying the federal bail rules as they stand — the federal government has committed to change those rules, we expected them to be changed last session, they weren’t,” said Eby.
“My hope, my expectation, our insistence in B.C. is that the federal government pass those amendments this coming session as quickly as possible.”
