Sask. man who took daughter to prevent COVID vaccine appeals, calling abduction conviction ‘unreasonable’
A 55-Year-Old Man Appeals Conviction for Abducting Daughter
Michael Gordon Jackson, a 55-year-old man from Carievale, Sask., has filed a notice of appeal with Saskatchewan’s highest court after being found guilty of abducting his daughter. The incident occurred when Jackson failed to return his then-seven-year-old daughter to her mother following a visit. He took the girl on the run in November 2021 in an attempt to prevent her from being vaccinated for COVID-19, leading to more than 100 days of disappearance.
After a search, police located and arrested Jackson in Vernon, B.C., in late February 2022. His daughter was safely reunited with her mother later that day. In April 2024, Jackson was found guilty of contravening a custody order after two weeks of court proceedings.
The Crown sought a two-year prison sentence with credit for time served on remand, as well as three years of probation and 200 hours of community service. However, on December 6, Justice MacMillan-Brown handed Jackson a one-year jail sentence, which he had already more than served while awaiting trial. He was also given two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
During his time in remand, Jackson spent 541 days, which meant he did not have to serve any additional jail time. Among the conditions of his sentence was no contact with his daughter or her mother, who is also his ex-wife.
Despite the sentencing, Jackson has decided to appeal both his conviction and sentence. He submitted the notice of appeal on the evening of his sentencing date, citing that the verdict was unreasonable and there was a miscarriage of justice. He also argued that the sentence imposed was unfit given the circumstances.
In his notice, Jackson expressed his desire to be tried by judge and jury if a new trial is ordered. Additionally, he mentioned that he would be seeking legal representation moving forward, as he had represented himself in court up to this point.
