A man accused of criminal harassment repeatedly told a Vancouver Provincial Court judge he won’t obey court orders.
Donald Francis Smith faces two counts of criminal harassment and appeared by phone on Dec. 6 before Judge David St. Pierre.
The charges relate to an April 27 occurrence.
St. Pierre expanded on original orders ordering Smith not to identify justice system participants or witnesses online.
Smith repeatedly interrupted St. Pierre, who in turn asked him to listen before responding.
Smith asserted his constitutional rights were being violated, that the justice system was corrupt and asked St. Pierre remove himself from the case.
St. Pierre requested Smith appear by video next time rather than by phone.
“When people can’t see others, there’s zero respect for any of the formalities or proceedings,” St. Pierre said.
“I’m not coming,” Smith said.
This isn’t the first time Smith has defied a judge.
Court records also show Smith took a screenshot of Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta proceedings in June and posted it online.
“He then used these images on social media to threaten and harass participants in the hearing,” lawyer Mark Jackson told Justice Adam Germain of that court.
Smith was found in contempt and fined $1,000.
However, the court heard Oct. 13, that the behaviour had begun again.
“It is juvenile. It’s crass. It’s offensive and it’s been persistent,” Jackson said.
Jackson said Smith had repeatedly “called the court and counsel corrupt, crooked, allegedly that the court and counsel support pedophilia, rape, acknowledging that he would only stop harassing the court and counsel if they took steps against people he identifies as Antifa are being problematic.”
He said Smith’s activities were “just an endless list of homophobic, anti-COVID attacks, anti-COVID rhetoric, threats on individuals, threats of violence and constant harassment of individuals on social media, including the court and including myself.”
