We are learning a little more about what Harold Backer's defence team will argue to assert his constitutional rights were violated in efforts to exclude evidence from trial.
Backer, a Victoria investment dealer and former Olympic rower who disappeared for a year-and-a- half- before turning himself into police, is facing 2 counts of fraud over $5,000 in connection with an alleged in a pyramid scheme.
Last September he pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his defence team filed notice asserting Backer's constitutional rights were violated during a series of searches and evidence seizures. They also contend there were issues with his arrest.
But the documents were not made public -- until Monday -- thanks to an application from several media outlets, including Bellmedia.
Backer's lawyer, Joven Narwal, will argue his client's rights were violated during 4 searches in early November 2015, days before Backer disappeared, where a cellphone, iPad, computer towers as well as credit card statements were seized.
He will also argue police lacked reasonable grounds to obtain other warrants and orders for Backer's financial data, that investigators didn't obtain necessary paperwork to hold onto seized evidence, and that their client was not promptly informed of the reasons for his arrest. It's expected the arguments will be made in court sometime this spring.