Unwanted video call requests from N.S. jail prompt police probe

She was getting unwanted video call requests from Burnside jail.

The problem was Alissa Corkum hadn’t initiated them and she suspected the caller was her former boyfriend, who was facing charges for assaulting her, her mother and grandfather.

“On Dec. 14, 2022, Alissa Corkum contacted Bridgewater police to advise that her ex-boyfriend, Lukas Greek, is currently bound by a no-contact order and had made three attempts to contact her for a video visit via email request,” Const. Jodi Arns of the Bridgewater Police Service said in an application for a production order.

Multiple convictions 

Arns checked into Greek’s criminal background, learning he had nine assault convictions, and two more for assault with a weapon. He’s also been convicted of sexual assault, assaulting a police officer, 31 counts of failing to comply with court orders, 10 counts of driving while disqualified, unlawful confinement, three counts of fleeing police, engaging in threatening conduct, failing to stop at an accident, criminal harassment, mischief, break and enter, theft, and stealing a motor vehicle.

Greek, who is from Conquerall Mills, also made headlines for biting a Mountie in June of 2018. But in that case, the judge stayed the charge, ruling Greek’s arrest was unlawful because police didn’t have a warrant to enter his family home and that Greek was acting in self defence when he bit the Mountie.

He was charged again in the fall of 2019 for biting an officer with the Bridgewater Police Service.

Three emails

The day after Corkum first complained about the contact requests coming from Burnside, she told police she had been in a relationship with Greek, but he was arrested for assaulting her, her mother Jackie Corkum and her grandfather William MacMillan.

She told investigators that on Dec. 14, she’d received three emails from the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility inviting her to join a web-based personal room meeting.

“Corkum did not accept the meeting invites on December 14, 2022, and therefore could not confirm Greek initiated the requests,” Arns said in information to obtain a production order filed at Bridgewater provincial court.

“However, Corkum had previously communicated with Greek on a video visit two months prior while he was in custody, and Corkum stated it was the same email address and same invite process.”

Didn’t know anyone else at Burnside

She had learned about the no-contact order from her mom the day before the requests arrived.

“Corkum believes the email requests for the video meeting are from Greek, as she does not know anyone else within the facility that would invite her for a video visit,” Arns said.

Corkum had already changed her mobile phone number “as a result of ongoing communication from Greek’s family and friends,” said the constable, noting the young woman also blocked further emails coming from Burnside jail.

The three Dec. 14 video meeting requests she’d fielded came in a flurry at about 9 a.m.

Jail staffers knew about order 

Arns contacted a captain at the jail on Dec. 21, learning Greek, now 27, was still in custody.

Jail staffers knew about the no contact order forbidding Greek from getting in touch with Corkum, said the investigator.

“A video visit requires the person in custody to complete an application request including the email address of the person they would like to contact,” Arns said.

“Greek did complete an application request to have a video visit with A Corkum.”

‘Under video surveillance’

A jail guard is present during all video visits for Burnside prisoners, said the investigator.

“The application form will indicate whether or not the video visit request was accepted by the other party,” Arns said.

“Inmates are aware that they are under video surveillance in all areas of the facility with the exception of their cells in the dayroom.”

Greek had been in court Dec. 13 for a bail hearing, said the constable. That’s when a judge ordered him to not contact Corkum, her mother and grandfather, all of whom he had allegedly assaulted on Sept. 10, 2022, at a home on Conquerall Road.

Arns believed Greek knew about the no contact order that was signed on Dec. 13, 2022.

Gathering evidence 

“I believe the audio/video surveillance and video visit request documentation at CNSCF/Burnside Correctional Centre will help police gather evidence showing the attempted interactions of Greek with Alissa Corkum after the no contact order became effective,” said the investigator.

Arns convinced a justice of the peace to grant a production order for Burnside jail as the information was in their possession. “CNSCF/Burnside Correctional Centre is not a target or suspect in this investigation should this production order be granted.”

The investigator wanted closed-circuit television footage relating to video visits for prisoners at Burnside from the morning of Dec. 14, 2022. Arns was also looking for all written documentation related to Greek’s requests for video visits from the month of December.

The Bridgewater constable seized those during a Feb. 7 visit to Burnside.

But Greek isn’t facing any charges from last December.

He is, however, slated to go to trial Oct. 30 in Bridgewater Supreme Court for aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, two counts of assault, unlawful confinement and breaching his probation. The date for all of those offences was Sept. 10, 2022.