Sex offender released on conditions
Mark Douglas Harnish, 25, of Nasonworth, is charged with failing to comply with the terms of an order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act
A convicted sex offender who was initially detained pending a bail hearing was released from custody on conditions Thursday.
Mark Douglas Harnish, 25, of Route 101 in Nasonworth, was arrested earlier this week and charged with a breach of a court order issued under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act.
The charge alleges he violated that order Feb. 28, 2022, by failing to report in person to the registration centre to provide updated information on where he was residing.
During a brief telephone court appearance Tuesday in Fredericton provincial court, the Crown objected to his release, and he was remanded pending a bail hearing set for Thursday afternoon.
However, the case was brought into court early on Thursday morning, and the Crown withdrew its objection to Harnish’s release.
As such, Judge Natalie LeBlanc released him on conditions and ordered him to return to court June 16 to elect mode of trial and enter a plea to the indictable charge.
Harnish’s sex-offender registration order stems from a 2019 conviction for sexually assaulting a woman in 2017.
He was previously convicted and jailed in June 2021 for violating the registration order, again by failing to report as required between April and June 2000.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
He didn't follow his previous conditions but this time I am sure he will. Crazy.