A southern Alberta man accused of defrauding several agriculture businesses of nearly $1 million will have to wait another year before he finally stands trial.
Scott James Piggott was scheduled to begin an eight-day trial next week in Lethbridge Court of Queen’s Bench, but during a hearing Monday court was told the lawyer Piggott intends to hire will be unavailable.
The Crown prosecutor said the earliest date the lawyer will be available is in 2019, and the trial was rescheduled for Feb. 11-22.
Following a preliminary hearing last January in Lethbridge provincial court, Piggott was committed to stand trial on two charges of theft over $5,000 and one charge of fraud over $5,000. He previously elected to be tried by a Court of Queen’s Bench judge and jury.
Taber police initially reported in 2015 that a Taber business fell victim to a scam between March and July 2013 in which hay was obtained but no money paid. Taber police, who reviewed a “massive” amount of data and obtained information from several companies in Canada and the United States during the investigation, said the fraud totaled more than $800,000.
The charges for which Piggott will stand trial relate to frauds and thefts committed against three businesses.
Read the full story over at the Lethbridge Herald.
