Update: March 22, 2018 — The B.C. Court of Appeal subsequently overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. T.J.B. was acquitted at that second trial.
ORIGINAL:
A convicted sex offender from Oliver was released after serving less than a week of his 4.5-year sentence.
T.J.B., 23, filed a notice of appeal on May 5 in the Court of Appeal in Vancouver. He was released the following day after Justice Mary Newbury granted bail pending the hearing of the appeal.
T.J.B. was sentenced to four years and six months of jail time on May 1 in Penticton, after being convicted for sexual assault and invitation to sexual touching with a person under 16 last year.
Throughout the trial, T.J.B. denied the charges and during his sentencing it was noted that he was not willing to admit any of the offences during counselling for depression and anxiety that took place after he was convicted.
Letters of support mentioned during the sentencing from family and acquaintances of T.J.B.’s also denied the incidents that occurred from June 2011 through August 2012.
Court documents state that T.J.B. is now being represented by Smith, Thomas and Skogstad, a law firm in Penticton.
According to the Court of Appeal order and conditions obtained by the Oliver Daily News,T.J.B. is to reside with a relative. He is also to have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family.
T.J.B. was released on a surety bail of $50,000, and is not to attend any school in Oliver. He must surrender by next February if the hearing on his conviction appeal is not determined.