The cases of three men charged with serious offenses in high-profile incidents from around the Cowichan Valley continued in B.C. Supreme Court in Duncan Monday.
Jesse Bennett, charged in the abduction of his daughter Violet in January in contravention of a custody order, will have his next court appearance on Nov. 21. That will be for direction by a judge.
Bennett was arrested May 24 in Shawnigan Lake after a Canada-wide warrant was issued for him. He failed to return Violet to her mother as directed by the Victoria Family Law Court in January.
Related story: Jesse Bennett, accused of abducting his daughter, arrested in Shawnigan Lake
Andrew Steve Alphonse was charged with manslaughter in the homicide of a Duncan man on Jan. 20, 2020. Police were called to the scene on Mulaqw Road just before 5 a.m. that day and found a man suffering from serious injuries, who was taken to hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Investigators found the man was a victim of foul play.
Alphonse was arrested two months later on March 1, 2020. His case has been adjourned by a defence application and put over to Nov. 21 to fix a date.
Related story: Man arrested and charged with manslaughter in 2020 Duncan case
Alphonse also has a court date set for Nov. 17 on a breach of undertaking charge and Nov. 29 for refusing to provide a breath sample.
And Justin James Dodd had his case involving the deaths of Tommy Johnson and Brad Johnson at a Crofton residence on Oct. 23, 2021 adjourned to the Victoria courthouse on Oct. 26 to fix a date. Dodd is charged with two counts of murder of the father and son.
Dodd also has a court date in Duncan Nov. 1 on two other matters, including a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Jesse Bennett is accused of the abduction of his daughter in contravention of a custody order. (RCMP Handout photo)
The Crofton house where the bodies of Tommy and Brad Johnson were found a year ago. Justin James Dodd is accused of their murder. (File photo by Don Bodger)
