A Kamloops, B.C., man who threatened to kill his two young children in a murder suicide has been ordered to have no contact with them for two-and-a-half years.
Castanet Kamloops is not naming the 54-year-old man to protect the identity of his kids. He pleaded guilty Thursday in Kamloops provincial court to one count each of uttering threats and breach of a release order.
Court heard the children were three and six on June 16, 2022, when the incident took place.
“A comment was made saying that there would be two murders and a suicide,” Crown prosecutor Tim Livingston said in court.
The man was arrested and then released on bail with a condition barring him from contacting his wife or kids — a term he breached by leaving her repeated voicemails, court heard.
The incident prompted the man’s wife to quit her job and move with the kids to Vancouver Island to be closer to her family. Court heard she is now struggling to make ends meet.
In a victim-impact statement, she said the children were begging for their lives and have been experiencing nightmares in the months since.
The man, who has no previous criminal history and works as a delivery driver, said he was sorry.
“I just wanted to apologize for my behaviour,” he said. "I am not a violent person — I love my family, I love my children.”
Kamloops provincial court Judge Lorianna Bennett went along with a joint submission for a conditional discharge and 30 months of probation. That means the man will not have a criminal record if he completes the probationary period without incident.
“I take it that whatever took place, the threats were made in the presence of these young children and clearly they did suffer,” the judge said.
Terms of the probation order will prohibit the man from contacting his children or their mother.
