Miller remains behind bars
A Kamloops judge wants to have the story of a Thompson Rivers University student looked into a bit deeper before he decides whether to release him on bail.
Adrian Miller appeared in Kamloops provincial court today (Friday, Feb. 24), for a bail hearing, but no decision was made.
An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday, Feb. 23, for the 26-year-old, who was recently elected to TRU's board of governors and senate.
The university's new board was slated to be sworn in at a ceremony today, which Miller missed due to the fact he's behind bars.
In fact, TRU's board of governors met behind closed doors earlier in the day and decided to delay Miller's swearing-in until a decision can be made regarding his criminal charges and issues on campus.
Board chairwoman Fiona Chan told KTW members met in-camera and decided to postpone Miller's swearing-in.
Last week, the Crown laid five charges against Miller, alleging he stole and pawned jewelry from his landlords at the basement suite in which he'd been living.
Miller has pleaded not guilty, but a judge ordered he stay away from the Pineview Valley home until the charges are dealt with.
In court today, Crown prosecutor Catriona Elliott said Miller took to sleeping in computer labs on TRU's campus after being kicked out of the Pineview Valley home.
She added that Miller gave his probation officer a fake McGill Road address, putting him in violation of his release conditions.
Elliot said Miller's probation officer has described him as "deceptive and evasive."
"He said, 'He'd lie and say that black is white,'" she told the court.
"He thinks Mr. Miller has some psychiatric problems.
"Given this persistent pattern of resistance and being deceptive and non-co-operative with the probation officer, to release him would lead to more breaches and more offending."
Defence lawyer Sheldon Tate said Miller giving his probation officer the wrong address was "a simple mistake" — one digit off from the actual address.
Miller told the court he was "couch-surfing" while looking for a more permanent place to live. He admitted to sleeping in TRU computer labs, but said he was only napping.
Kamloops provincial court Judge Stephen Harrison is reserving his decision on bail until Monday, Feb. 26, to give lawyers time to contact the people with whom Miller claims he was staying.
Chan, meanwhile, said Miller is not yet technically a member of TRU's board of governors because his swearing-in has been postponed.
"We want the safety and security of students, faculty and staff to be our priority," she said.
When asked how that relates to Miller's position on TRU's board, Chan said: "The top priority is the safety and security of students, faculty and staff."
Miller has an ongoing lawsuit against TRU, in which he claims the university was negligent in its dealings with him as a student.
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