Charges of arson and breach of release order have been stayed against a man who was previously the accused in the case of a Coldstream structure fire.
Matthew Eric Mason had been charged with arson in relation to an inhabited property and breach of release order in connection to a fire that destroyed a home on Hawthorne Place in Coldstream on Jan. 14, 2022.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, but the blaze was immediately deemed suspicious by police. The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said as the investigation progressed, they believed the fire had been deliberately set.
The BC Prosecution Service confirmed Friday that the charges against Mason were stayed by Crown Counsel today (Jan. 12).
鈥淭he charges were stayed when Crown Counsel concluded that the charge assessment standard was no longer met. This conclusion was reached following a recent reassessment of the viability of the prosecution,鈥� said Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Service.
The Prosecution Service uses a two-part test to determine whether charges will be approved and a prosecution initiated or continued. The test considers whether there is a likelihood of conviction, and if so, whether the public interest requires a prosecution.
The test continues to apply even after charges have been approved and a prosecution initiated, and Crown Counsel can conclude at any time that the charge assessment standard is no longer met, initiating a stay of proceedings.
鈥淭hat is what happened in this case,鈥� McLaughlin said.
A stay of proceedings does not mean the charges are dropped; it means the charges have been put on hold and may no longer be pursued, though the Crown only has one year to restart the proceedings under the Criminal Code.
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