THE BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) announced on Tuesday that special prosecutors David Butcher and Brock Martland have declined to approve any further charges following the receipt of the final Report to Crown Counsel (RCC) submitted by police investigating the activities of senior staff at the British Columbia Legislature.

The special prosecutors concluded that the charge assessment standard was not met with respect to any charges beyond those that have already been approved.

On November 20, 2018, the BCPS announced that the Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the BCPS, Peter Juk, had appointed Butcher and Martland as special prosecutors to provide legal advice to the RCMP during the investigation of these allegations. Both Butcher and Martland are senior counsel with the private bar in Vancouver.

On December 18, 2020, the BCPS announced that the special prosecutors had approved charges against Craig Harley James of breach of trust by a public officer and fraud in excess of $5,000.

The BCPS said that as the James matter is currently before the court neither the special prosecutors nor it will be releasing additional information or commenting further at this time.

If, at the end of all related court proceedings, the special prosecutors determine it to be in the public interest that further information about this matter should be provided to the public, the special prosecutors will issue a ‘Clear Statement’ in consultation with the BCPS.