ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - A B.C. man convicted in Asia of sex crimes against young boys is being investigated in Canada, but the details of what he is accused of abroad remain covered by a publication ban -- for now.
Orville Mader's lawyer said Monday his client is being investigated for "a bunch of other charges,'' though he did not elaborate.
Mader has not been charged with anything in Canada and is free after signing a peace bond.
Details of his alleged crimes in Cambodia and Thailand were read out in court at a hearing last month, but they were banned from publication.
A lawyer for The Canadian Press said in court Monday that ban should be lifted.
Michael Skene argued the court didn't have the authority to order the ban on the proceedings of the hearing because Mader doesn't face any Canadian charges.
Mader was convicted of sex crimes against children in absentia in Cambodia earlier this year and Thai authorities were looking for him last month when Mader arrived at Vancouver International Airport.
RCMP detained him under a section of the Criminal Code that allows police to arrest someone they believe could commit an offence against children.
Mader was later granted bail and was released on a peace bond outlining conditions such as his promise to stay away from children and to not use the Internet.
Bans on bail hearings are standard under the Criminal Code in an effort to ensure potential jurors don't come into contact with information that might bias them in any way.
But because Mader isn't charged in Canada, there's no possibility of a trial or jurors to protect, Skene argued.
The issues surrounding Mader's apprehension at the airport and his release on the peace bond are issues the media should be allowed to tell the public about, he said.
"There's two sides to the issue,'' Skene said outside court.
"On the one hand, why was Mr. Mader ever in jail? He's not been charged with any offence.''
On the flip side, there were people in the courtroom who heard things that aren't available to the public, Skene said
"This person's been released into the community. There are children in the community. There are serious allegations against him and whether or not he should have been released into the community is something the public is going to want to scrutinize and has the right to scrutinize.''
In his application, Skene noted that the section of the Criminal Code banning details of bail hearings from publication has a time limit. The details can be released at the conclusion of an accused's trial.
But in this case, with no trial on the horizon, the ban on the submissions made in court effectively goes on forever and that's not something the court has the jurisdiction to order, Skene argued.
"This lack of accountability flies in the face of the open court process,'' Skene's submission reads.
Mader's lawyer, Brian Coleman, told court he is opposed to lifting the ban.
He said outside court he's concerned for his client's safety.
"I don't want a bunch of vigilantes hounding him on the basis of the allegations,'' Coleman said.
The defence and the Crown plan to respond to The Canadian Press's court challenge later this month.
Mader was in court Monday as the Crown asked for changes to the conditions of his bail.
"We have received a significant amount of disclosure from Thailand and Cambodia. Our issue is that it has not been sufficiently translated,'' said Wendy van Tongeren-Harvey, the Crown's prosecutor.
Mader sat at the back of the court with a female companion, chewing gum.
He spent several hours in the courthouse after proceedings ended, but eventually came out in a fast walk.
He elbowed past reporters and photographers, knocking one photographer's lens hood into the bushes.
When asked if he had a comment, he responded: "You've got to be kidding.''
His female companion attempted to shield him from the photographers using her handbag.
"He seems to be bearing up reasonably well, but he's anxious, obviously,'' his lawyer said earlier.
"He's concerned and anxious. There's threats of more serious matters hanging over his head. That's the innuendo, that's the comments made by the Crown.''
Mader's case surfaced at the end of October, only a couple of weeks after another Canadian -- 32-year-old Christopher Neil of Maple Ridge, B.C. -- was arrested in Thailand on allegations of sexual offences involving young boys. Neil's case made international headlines.
