Suspended sentence for breaching contact order

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on September 13, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Even sitting in jail couldn’t dissuade a former Lethbridge man from breaking the law and disobeying a court order prohibiting him from trying to contact his ex-spouse.

Dustin James Ginter, under a civil restraining order issued March 13, 2018 by a Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench judge, was prohibited from watching, harassing, following, phoning or in any way directly or indirectly contacting his wife. However, two years later, while the order was still in effect, he phoned his former spouse several times while he was incarcerated at the Edmonton Remand Centre.

“There were six phone calls made on April 21, (2020) at various times, and it was determined that those had come from the accused,” Crown Prosecutor Kristi Adams said Monday in Lethbridge provincial court, where Ginter pleaded guilty to one count of disobeying a Queen’s Bench Court order.

Edmonton lawyer Dan Nagase admitted his client made the calls, but noted Ginter’s ex-spouse did not answer any of the calls. He explained Ginter tried to contact the woman, hoping she would provide him bail money.

“He was in a desperate situation it appears, but he understands what he did was wrong and he’s here to take responsibility.”

Ginter, who has previous convictions for domestic assault, was handed a suspended sentence with 12 months of probation, during which he is prohibited from contacting the woman or going to her residence or workplace.

Nagase pointed out Ginter, 31, now lives and works in B.C. and it has been “quite some time” since he’s had any contact with his former spouse.

“And since that time there have been no further allegations,” Nagase added.

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