Man pleads not guilty to charges laid after alleged McAdam vigilantism

A McAdam-area man facing six charges after alleged acts of vigilantism in the southwestern New Brunswick village is to remain in custody until January, when a trial date will be set.

Billy McGillicuddy, 41, pleaded not guilty Thursday to two summary offences: possession of a weapon, a baseball bat, for the purpose of committing an offence, and to assaulting Blake Scott with a baseball bat. 

McGillicuddy asked for a judge and jury trial on four other charges. He is accused of the indictable offences of assaulting Scott with a chair, unlawfully confining him, possession of a sawed-off shotgun for the purpose of committing an offence, and pointing the sawed-off shotgun at Blake. 

All six charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 4 in McAdam, about 10 kilometres from McGillicuddy's home in St. Croix.

He appeared in Fredericton provincial court on Thursday by telephone.

The court agreed that McGillicuddy's next appearance will be the morning of Jan. 16, 2023, when a trial date will be set.  

Until then, McGillicuddy will remain in Saint John Regional Correctional Centre.

Family and friends turn out

Seven people who identified themselves as family and friends of McGillicuddy were in the courtroom Thursday morning but did not want to be interviewed.

About 50 people, including McAdam Mayor Ken Stannix, stood outside the Fredericton courthouse on June 9 to support McGillicuddy during his bail hearing. He was denied bail the next day.

At the time, Stannix said community members were fed up with reoccurring property crimes, adding he wanted to support "the individuals who allegedly took the law into their own hands."

The New Brunswick RCMP issued a statement on June 9 asking people not to commit acts of vigilantism.

"Anyone involved in vigilante activities risk facing arrest and legal proceedings themselves," the RCMP said.

"Taking police matters into your own hands, or condoning those who do, is irresponsible and reckless."