A bail hearing for a man charged with holding a girl against her will for four days at a remote cabin didn’t proceed Aug. 13 as scheduled and was adjourned by consent of both the Crown prosecutor and defence.
Aaron Gardiner, 42, has been in custody since the Saskatchewan Emergency Response Team arrested him April 24. The Canadian Armed Forces flew the RCMP in two CH-146 Griffon helicopters to the isolated northern Saskatchewan cabin that wasn’t accessible by vehicle.
The girl was safely rescued and flown back to her family in Île-à-la-Crosse. Gardiner tried fleeing when police arrived and they used a Taser on him. He was charged with unlawful confinement, assault, overcoming resistance, uttering threats, resisting arrest, possessing a firearm for a dangerous purpose, use of a firearm in commission of an indictable offence, proceeds of crime, and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Gardiner had several show cause hearings scheduled in June and July. While waiting for those, the police slapped him with additional charges after more victims came forward. The RCMP investigated multiple alleged incidents and added more charges against Gardiner in July including four counts of sexual assault, three counts of forcible confinement, uttering threats, assault, reckless discharge of a firearm, use a firearm in commission of an offence, obstruction, and breach of an undertaking.
Anyone with additional information to report to police is encouraged to contact Ile a la Crosse RCMP by calling 306-833-6300 or the Prince Albert General Investigation Section at 306-765-2105. Information can also by submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or submitting a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Île-à-la-Crosse has a population of about 1,300 and is located about 380 kilometres north of Prince Albert.
Gardiner’s show cause hearing was adjourned to Sept. 4 in Meadow Lake Provincial Court.
