Food tamperer faces new charges at same Co-op store
Woman was sentenced to three years in 2012 for putting pins, needles in produce
Convicted food saboteur Tatyana Granada is in legal hot water again — for allegedly shoplifting at the same Calgary Co-op store where she put pins and needles in produce.
Granada appeared in provincial court on Friday on charges of theft and an unrelated allegation of assault.
Granada was arrested Wednesday for allegedly shoplifting at the Oakridge Co-op store. She is also charged with assault in connection with a Nov. 16, incident at her home.
Crown prosecutor Donna Spaner told court she was willing to agree to Granada’s release on bail on conditions, including that she report to a probation officer.
She must also abide by a lifetime ban, already in place, on her entering any Co-op outlet.
“We are going to ask for a mobility clause, your honour,” Spaner told Judge Ken McLeod.
“Ms. Granada is bound by a lifetime civil restraint order,” the prosecutor explained.
“She’s banned from going, or being within 200 metres of any Calgary Co-op property,” Spaner said, explaining that means all groceries, liquor stores, gas bars or any other Co-op outlet.
“She’s also prohibited from telephoning, emailing, faxing, or otherwise attempting to contact Calgary Co-op or any of its employees, directly or indirectly.”
Duty counsel Ed Washington, speaking on behalf of Granada, said she was consenting to her release conditions.
Granada, who appeared in court via closed-circuit TV, did not ad- dress court during the proceeding, which was translated into Russian on her behalf, other than to acknowledge she understood her release conditions.
“Do you understand all those conditions, Ms, Granada?” McLeod asked through the translator. “Yes,” Granada said in English. Granada was sentenced to three years in prison in 2012 by Judge Gerry Meagher, on charges of mischief and trespassing. On four occasions in 2010, Granada tampered with food in an act of vengeance over a shoplifting arrest at the store.
During sentencing, Meagher noted how Granada’s dangerous and irresponsible behaviour not only put the public at risk, but caused collateral damage. Several Co-op employees filed victim impact statements detailing how the store was thrown into an atmosphere of fear and suspicion as repeated incidents of tampering were discovered.
“Not only did the store suffer financial loss as customers stayed away, but beyond those financial losses, there were losses emotionally and psychologically,” Meagher said. Granada is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 12.