Man Found Not Criminally Responsible After Gun Incident With SPCA Investigator

A man arrested last year for an altercation in which he used a gun to scare an SPCA investigator has been found not criminally responsible.

A man arrested last year for an altercation in which he used a gun to scare an SPCA investigator has been found not criminally responsible.

Uwe Manfred Froeschle had been facing charges but will not stand trial following a joint submission by Crown and defence counsel stating his case should go before the BC Review Board, which handles these cases.

The charges included the careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, discharging a firearm and assault with a weapon.

Leading up to the court appearance, Froeschle’s case was submitted for a psychiatric report.

According to the judge, the report referred to issues such as “delusions” the accused held that impaired his judgment and made him perceive wrong as right. It summed up the mental disorder as one of persecution.

These delusions included thinking the SPCA was trying to poison his animals, or involved other parties such as the military or neighbours.  His response was to discharge his gun in an attempt to scare off the SPCA investigator.

Froeschle was charged in connection with an incident at his farm on Pickering Road north of Courtenay in March 2021. This followed a stand-off that lasted several hours.

The matter now goes to the BC Review Board.  This involves psychiatric treatment, and following annual hearings, the board may order a person to remain in custody for treatment for the next 12 months, grant a conditional discharge in which a person may live out of custody but must participate in monitoring and ongoing treatment, or grant a full discharge.