3 Violent Offenders in BC Freed Under Catch and Release Bail Laws

In BC, violent offenders are being released on bail even when they’re known to police and already facing charges.

Vancouver recorded 6,256 violent crimes in 2023, including 4,910 assaults, a rise of 451 incidents compared to 2019. According to police data, assaults on officers increased by 28% between the first quarters of 2024 and 2025.

Still, nearly 80% of violent offenders in BC are released after arrest, even when Crown prosecutors argue against it. Our legal system places constitutional rights above clear patterns of repeat violence.

Let's look at cases that show how this system fails, and why dangerous offenders keep getting out.

3 Times Repeat Violent Offenders in BC Were Released on Bail and Reoffended

1. Toronto Woman Attacked In Vancouver By A Stranger

On April 15, 2025, a Toronto tourist was walking alone near Coal Harbour, close to the entrance of Stanley Park, just after midnight.

A stranger suddenly attacked her, slamming her to the ground and assaulting her repeatedly—according to her own account, she believed he intended to kill her. She suffered a broken nose, swelling around both eyes, and facial bruises.

Police arrested the suspect, 34‑year‑old Peterhans Jalo Nungu, later that night. He was charged with assault causing bodily harm.

Despite the severity of the attack:

• He had been released from custody on April 23, 2025, following an earlier court appearance relating to other charges. A provincial court judge granted bail under several conditions.

• After his release, he entered a secure medical facility, and later was placed on 24‑hour house arrest at his mother's residence in Vancouver’s River District. He was closely monitored by Vancouver Police.

• His bail conditions included no contact with the victim, no weapons, no alcohol or drugs, and no sharp instruments outside his home.

2. Vancouver Police Officer Set on Fire During Arrest

On April 10, 2025, two Vancouver Police officers approached a man for jaywalking near East Hastings and Carrall Street. The man, later identified as Jordan Paul Campbell Mutual, had 10 outstanding warrants, several for violent offenses.

While being arrested, he ignited a flammable substance and set one officer's jacket on fire. The other officer’s uniform was also burned.

The suspect had already been released multiple times before this incident. At the time of the attack, he was wanted across the province and was not in custody despite the serious charges against him.

3. Mohammed Majidpour Reoffended Repeatedly on Bail

In October 2022, Mohammed Majidpour assaulted a 19-year-old woman in downtown Vancouver.

He struck her with a metal pole while shouting anti-Asian slurs, then set fire to a nearby car later that same day.

At the time of the incident, Majidpour had more than 24 prior criminal convictions. He was arrested within a week. Despite the seriousness of the attack and his criminal history, he was released on bail after spending only one weekend in custody.

Over the next several days, Majidpour was arrested twice more. In one of those instances, police detained him just two hours and 18 minutes after his most recent release.

Officers found him attempting to steal merchandise from a downtown retail store. Vancouver Police publicly noted that they had arrested Majidpour multiple times in a matter of days.

This case drew national media attention not just for the violence involved, but because it highlighted a structural gap in Canada’s bail system.

Even when an individual has a documented history of violent behavior and reoffends within days or hours of release, courts remain bound by Charter protections and Criminal Code standards that require release unless very specific criteria are met.

So, why was he and other offenders released so often? Let's break down why.

How Bail Law Works — And Why Judges Must Often Release Violent Repeat Offenders

Canada’s legal system under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms mandates that accused individuals have a right to reasonable bail unless the Crown proves just cause to deny it. That includes demonstrating a high risk of:

• Reoffending while on release

• Failing to appear in court

• Disrupting the administration of justice

  
  

Judges must apply the least restrictive conditions necessary (e.g., house arrest or electronic monitoring) rather than deny bail outright.

Why Repeat Offenders May Still Qualify for Bail

Even high-risk individuals can be released if the Crown cannot meet legal standards with current, case-specific evidence:

• Jordan Paul Campbell Mutual, wanted on 10 outstanding warrants and accused of setting a police officer’s jacket on fire, had previously been granted bail multiple times. Unless the Crown produced new evidence — like prior bail breaches or behavior indicating imminent risk — judges were legally required to release him under the usual bail framework (even though a bail hearing for these specific charges may not yet have occurred).

  
  

• Mohammed Majidpour, despite having more than 30 prior convictions, including assault with a weapon, was released on bail multiple times in 2022 and 2023. He was ordered by the court to attend a mental health program if he accessed Downtown Community Court—but only on a consent basis. A Global News report highlighted limited therapeutic supervision and named concerns that his release conditions may not have been robust enough to reduce reoffending risk.

• Peterhans Jalo Nungu, accused of a violent assault on a tourist near Stanley Park, had documented mental health concerns. His family said he experienced a crisis and stopped taking medication before being arrested for threatening behavior. The court granted bail with conditions, including house arrest and mandated psychiatric intake. This reflects how mental health considerations can influence release decisions — even when violent behavior is alleged.

Cases like this highlight how mental health considerations interact with broader legal obligations — because ultimately, every release decision in BC is made within the bounds of Canada’s federal bail laws.

Canada’s Criminal Code and Charter of Rights and Freedoms govern how bail decisions are made, including in BC.

Section 11(e) of the Charter guarantees the right to reasonable bail unless just cause is shown. The law also requires that the least restrictive release conditions be applied, even for individuals with serious or lengthy criminal histories.

This federal framework limits how much provincial governments can do to detain violent repeat offenders before trial.

The result is a justice system where police and prosecutors often know the risk an offender poses — but are legally required to release them unless strict thresholds are met.

This is not about oversight or negligence. It's about a legal structure that prioritizes the presumption of innocence and liberty, even in cases involving violent histories.

And it's directly linked to the core issue: violent offenders in BC are being released, reoffending, and endangering the public — within the bounds of existing national law.

Bail Reform & Its Limits

In 2023, Parliament passed Bill C‑48, aiming to reduce the number of violent repeat offenders being released on bail. The law expanded reverse-onus provisions, meaning that in certain cases, the accused must prove why they should be released, rather than the Crown proving why they should be detained.

Reverse-onus now applies when:

• The accused is charged with a violent offence involving a weapon, and

• They have a prior conviction for a similar offence within the past five years.

  
  

Despite this change, data from the BC Prosecution Service shows the impact has been limited:

• In the first months following Bill C-48, Crown prosecutors requested detention in only 44% of violent repeat offender bail hearings.

• Of those, judges granted detention in fewer than half, meaning over 80% of repeat violent offenders were still granted bail, even under the new law.

  
  

Legal experts say this is partly due to the structure of Canada’s Charter protections. Courts must still release the accused unless strict, case-specific criteria are met.

Judges must also consider mental health, housing stability, and risk of flight, which can result in release even after serious charges or prior convictions.

In practice, Bill C-48 has not eliminated the catch-and-release pattern that puts high-risk individuals back on BC streets — often with tragic consequences.

Ongoing Debate Over Bail and Public Safety in BC

The issue of repeat violent offenders in BC continues to draw attention from lawmakers, police, and the public. While Bill C-48 marked a shift toward tougher standards for certain high-risk cases, provincial leaders say the early numbers show little change in how often these offenders are released.

Supporters of further reform argue that public safety must weigh more heavily in bail decisions, while legal experts caution against measures that could erode Charter protections. As new data emerges and more cases work through the courts, the balance between protecting communities and upholding fundamental rights will remain at the centre of BC’s bail debate.