B.C. 'con man' trial delayed due to medical reasons as new charges filed

A British Columbia "con man" too sick to attend court in Newfoundland and Labrador for crimes he allegedly committed in 2013 is now facing six new counts of fraud and forgery.

Court proceedings on the two initial fraud charges have ground to a halt since January.

• B.C. 'con man' facing fraud charges in N.L.

The Crown and defence lawyer for James Timothy Drummond agreed to delay matters because of his "serious medical issues," according to court filings, including a round of radio-therapy treatment.

"His physician advised that Mr. Drummond is unable to deal with court proceedings," the documents note.

But just a few months before that application was filed, according to the police, Drummond was allegedly bilking new victims.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary filed a half dozen new charges against Drummond two weeks ago. Those alleged offences occurred in October 2014.

There is no indication that Drummond is not actually sick, although none of the medical evidence is included in the public court file.

However, Drummond has previously admitted in court to fabricating a number of claims about health problems, including cancer, all the way back to the 1980s.

And others who have had recent dealings with Drummond say he has made the same claims to them.

'He's been using that excuse for years'

A couple from Tumbler Ridge, B.C., told CBC News they've heard it before.

"Well, he might be [sick] by now, but he's been using that excuse for years," said Debbie Gatter.

She and her husband, Doug, first heard of Tim Drummond from Doug's mother, Bonnie Gatter.

Debbie said he'd struck up a relationship with the elderly woman in 2009, and was helping her with some things, including her banking.

"It was red flags for us right from the beginning with him," Debbie said.

"He used [Bonnie for] things like, getting her to fill his truck up with gas, and taking her for dinner ... Then he'd use cancer as a way for her to feel sorry for him."

Debbie said he would also tell Bonnie that he had to go away for cancer treatments in the U.S., for a couple of weeks at a time.

Then, the Gatters said Bonnie started to develop dementia, and unknown to them, Drummond helped move her across the country, to Newfoundland, in 2010. He later made that move himself.

This January, Bonnie passed away at the age of 91.

The Gatters said they don't know what happened to her estate.

They contacted police and social services, but never got anywhere on the matter.

No charges were ever laid.

'He did not have leukemia'

But that was not the first time Drummond had told someone he had cancer.

A 2008 British Columbia Supreme Court decision outlined a number of other occasions.

According to the judge's ruling in that case, Drummond had told several people in the 1980s and 1990s that he had leukemia, including his then-wife and in-laws.

He offered an apology of sorts, and admitted he had been wrong. But he appeared unconcerned about the fact he had repeatedly lied, and uncomprehending about the havoc he has wreaked in many people's lives.- B.C. Supreme Court Justice Paul Williamson

He also said that when his cancer flared up, he could be flown to any hospital in the United States for treatment.

British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Paul Williamson wrote in the decision that "in fact, he did not have leukemia."

Williamson called Drummond a "con man" and a "compulsive liar" for those claims, and many others.

Drummond acknowledged in court that he told many lies, according to the judge.

"He justified them by testifying that his motive was 'to buy some time' or to achieve 'flexibility,'" the judge wrote.

"He offered an apology of sorts, and admitted he had been wrong. But he appeared unconcerned about the fact he had repeatedly lied, and uncomprehending about the havoc he has wreaked in many people's lives."

Sick after stealing from Boy Scouts

In 1999, Drummond was charged with misappropriating almost $45,000 from the West Vancouver Cubs and Scouts' Christmas tree drive.

According to a 2001 article in the North Shore News, Drummond's scheduled preliminary hearing in the case had been cancelled the previous year because of a medical issue. He had a letter from his doctor, stating that he had a "respiratory illness."

He ultimately pleaded guilty to stealing the Scouts' money.

Just before sentencing proceedings were about to begin in October 2001, Drummond's lawyer told the judge that his client suffered from an "ongoing health condition" and was "seeking medical attention."

A second sentencing hearing a few days later was also cancelled.

Finally, the following month, he was given a one-year conditional sentence.

Health claims in 1st N.L. case

The alleged victims in the first fraud charges filed against Drummond in Newfoundland have heard such claims before as well.

Drummond was renting a home in Conception Bay South in 2012, when the homeowners say he tried to buy it — but instead used several excuses to live in the home, rent-free, for six months.

One of the homeowners, John Curtis, said Drummond told them he needed lung surgery.

"[He] was getting gravely ill. Apparently, he was having to fly to Toronto for some kind of significant illness, because he was on his death bed," Curtis told CBC News in June 2014.

Meanwhile, according to court documents, the new set of charges in Newfoundland also relate to real estate.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary believes he defrauded a property owner and forged documents for a real estate agent in the attempted purchase of a house on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, 2014.

Those charges are due back in provincial court in St. John's in late May.

Drummond's preliminary hearing on the charges filed last year is now scheduled for June.

Drummond's lawyer, Tammy Drover, did not respond to phone messages left at her office.

Crown attorney Dana Sullivan declined comment.