Superior Court of Justice Chatham-Kent, April 5, 2016. (Photo by Simon Crouch) Superior Court of Justice Chatham-Kent, April 5, 2016. (Photo by Simon Crouch)
Chatham

Men Accused Of Running A Tilbury Dog Fighting Ring Walk Free

Two men accused of operating a dog fighting ring in Tilbury will not go to trial.

A Chatham judge has thrown out all charges against John Robert and Michel Gagnon because their right to a trial within a reasonable time was violated.

Defence lawyer Ken Marley says 31 months to conclude a case is unacceptable and surpasses the 30 months allowed by law.

Marley previously told BlackburnNews.com there were too many delays, including court adjournments to add co-accused Robert Tomlin and Candice Johnson to the proceedings, and it took almost a year before data from a seized computer was disclosed.

Tomlin received four months house arrest, two years probation and a lifetime ban on owning pets.

Robert and Gagnon were charged with 66 charges surrounding the alleged abuse of pit bulls and possession of firearms.

Meanwhile, most of the pit bulls that were seized in 2015 are ready to be adopted.

The OSPCA wanted to put them down because they were too aggressive but Dog Tales, a dog rescue and sanctuary north of Toronto, managed to save 18 of the 21.

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