KAMLOOPS, B.C. — The Crown wants to take the case of an accused wife murderer directly to trial unless the couple’s children will not be called to testify at a preliminary inquiry.
Iain Scott, 43, was arrested after a standoff with police in April 2014.
He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged 33-year-old common-law wife Angila Wilson in Clearwater, B.C.
On Tuesday, Scott appeared by video for a pre-trial conference in provincial court in Kamloops.
During the brief hearing, court heard Scott recently fired his lawyer. He said he hopes to have a new one this week.
His preliminary inquiry was slated to begin May 25, which would likely not leave enough time for a new lawyer to be prepared.
Crown lawyer Adrienne Murphy said she plans to make an application to proceed to trial by way of direct indictment if Scott’s new lawyer does not agree to keep his children off the witness stand at a preliminary inquiry.
At a preliminary inquiry, the Crown presents its case for a judge, who decides whether there is enough evidence for the matter to proceed to trial.
Mounties found the body of Wilson, a nurse, at her home on April 20, 2014.
Scott, who had the couple’s three children, was found at a different home. After an eight-hour standoff, during which the children were released unharmed, Scott was taken into custody.
He was denied bail earlier this year.
Scott is due back in court on April 2 to fix a date for a new pre-trial conference. (Kamloops This Week)
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