Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 12/02) - The Crown Prosecutor's office has denied a request from an alleged cocaine trafficker who wished to be sentenced for his criminal charges in British Columbia.

Norman Hache, 21, is wanted in Yellowknife on two charges of trafficking cocaine resulting from the RCMP undercover operation Project Getaway.

Hache had instructed his lawyer Clark Rehn to enter into negotiations with the Crown's office to have his charges waived to the BC court system.

Had the waiver been granted, Hache had agreed to plead guilty to impaired driving charges and driving while suspended. Those charges were laid by the Yellowknife RCMP last November.

But the Crown's office denied Hache's request because he had not personally appeared in Yellowknife territorial court to answer to the charges. Only Rehn appeared on his behalf.

Because the waiver was denied, Rehn indicated that Hache wished to change his pleas on the impaired driving offences from guilty to not guilty.

A trial for those matters has been scheduled for Aug. 23 at 9:30 in territorial court. Judge Brian Bruser said he has seen enough delays and will not tolerate any more postponements.

He (the accused) will have to be here in person.

"I won't allow anything more to happen. This will conclude on (the trial date)," said Bruser.