Horse theft case working towards a resolution

A southern Alberta man accused of stealing and selling two horses to a processing facility near Fort Macleod could resolve his case soon.

Lethbridge lawyer Art Larson said Monday in Lethbridge provincial court that he and the Crown prosecutor are still working to resolve the charges against Wayne Bernard Jubb, who is charged with theft of cattle, trafficking stolen property and uttering forged documents.

Although close to reaching an agreement with the Crown, Larson told the court on Monday that the case must be delayed again until Oct. 22 to allow time for one victim in the case to travel from outside the province to be present in court for any potential sentencing. The victim has requested to read out their victim impact statement in person, Larson said.

Larson had also previously said at another court appearance on Sept. 17 more time was needed to discuss a new resolution proposal following one he felt demanded “excessive” financial restitution.

On April 28, Raymond RCMP received a report that two horses being boarded at a Stirling-area farm had been sold without the owner’s consent. The victim reported she had been boarding the horses there for five years, but on April 9 was contacted by a relative of the farm owner who told her the owner had passed away and she would have to relocate the horses.

The woman who owned the horses secured a new boarding facility, but when her daughter arrived at the farm to pick up the animals, a man told her he had sold them.

Raymond RCMP were notified and began an investigation with help from the Southern Alberta RCMP Livestock Investigator. They discovered the horses had been sold to a Fort Macleod processing facility where a man had falsified a livestock manifest and Equine Information Document indicating he was the lawful owner of the horses.