NIPIGON - A man facing several charges connected to a kidnapping in Nipigon in September appeared in court on Wednesday for a bail hearing.
Billy John Thompson, 32, is one of four men facing charges following an incident on Sept. 14 after Nipigon Ontario Provincial Police responded to reports of a man who had allegedly been abducted, forcibly confined and assaulted with a firearm in Nipigon.
The victim managed to escape and contact police but was left with significant injuries, police said in a media release.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Thompson was granted bail by a justice of the peace. He will be released to a surety who pledged $1,000 for his release.
Thompson will reside with his surety in Nipigon and remain under house arrest conditions at all times. He cannot possess any weapons or have any contact with his co-accused: Andrew Otway, Jayson Lawson-Balodis, and Harold Sault.
He also cannot contact the alleged victim or be within 100-metres of where the alleged incident occurred in Nipigon. Thompson is also required to give his surety his cellphone password.
His charges include kidnapping while using certain firearms, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and a variety of firearm-related offences.
Thompson is scheduled to return to court in November.
