A northern Saskatchewan man charged in connection to holding a girl against her will at a remote cabin had another court appearance.
Aaron Gardiner, 42, is charged with unlawful confinement, assault, uttering threats, resisting arrest, overcoming resistance, 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.
His appearance on those charges was scheduled for May 11 in Meadow Lake Provincial Court, however, Gardiner didn’t appear. Instead, his lawyer, Tim Nolin, appeared by telephone on his behalf.
Nolin asked the court for another adjournment saying he needed time to get more disclosure and go through information.
Gardiner has been in custody since his arrest April 24 when the RCMP teamed up with the Canadian Armed Forces to fly the Saskatchewan Emergency Response Team in two CH-146 Griffon helicopters to a remote cabin in northern Saskatchewan where the girl was being held captive.
The rescue mission was launched after Île-à-la-Crosse RCMP got a tip that a female youth was being held for the past four days in a cabin about 10 kilometres from the village of Île-à-la-Crosse.
Police say the only way to access the cabin was by air because the area was covered in water and slush.
The youth had minor bruising and was safely taken back to Île-à-la-Crosse by helicopter and returned to her family.
Gardiner tried fleeing from the cabin and resisted arrest. He was captured after police deployed a Conducted Energy Weapon (Taser). He received medical treatment at the scene for minor injuries before being taken to Île-à-la-Crosse.
At the cabin police seized firearms and drugs.
Gardiner already appeared in court twice in April and consented to being remanded in custody.
The charges against Gardiner haven’t been proven in court.
Gardiner is scheduled to appear by telephone in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on May 19.
