Man accused of keeping Molotov cocktails was out on bail

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This article was published 21/08/2023 (796 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man charged with keeping multiple Molotov cocktails in his apartment had been out on bail on a charge of aggravated assault in connection with an incident in April.

Winnipeg police received a tip that a tenant was keeping the crude bombs, typically a glass bottle full of flammable liquid and a wick, in a suite on the 400 block of Redwood Avenue.

Officers raced to the three-storey building around 5 p.m. on Friday and immediately noticed a strong smell of kerosene coming from the suite. Police said officers entered the unit after deeming it a public safety concern. They found four Molotov cocktails and an unspecified quantity of kerosene. The tenant was arrested and the bomb unit was called to remove the bombs.

Brendan Hines, 34, has been charged with four counts of unlawful possession of explosives and four counts of failure to comply with the conditions of a release order. He was detained by police and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 29.

He was arrested April 9 and charged with aggravated assault, allegedly committed that same day. Court records show he was released on bail April 12.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said Monday he wouldn’t elaborate on the possible motive, but noted the circumstances are unusual.

“It’s not common that we receive this information and ultimately attend and locate not one, not two, not three, but four Molotov cocktails and some kerosene within a suite,” said Michalyshen. “The sheer possession of these potentially explosive devices is enough to warrant charges.”

“Ten times out of 10, the intent of someone who would make one is obviously very negative, it could potentially cause a lot of damage and be very harmful if, in fact, used,” he said, pointing out residents in the building were at risk just by the presence of the devices.

Hines’s criminal record is sparse, but Michalyshen said police have had contact with him numerous times in recent years.

In 2019, he was convicted of assaulting and threatening his girlfriend over a rent dispute a year earlier, court records show.

Hines had grabbed her by the arms and threatened he would have “people waiting for her” if she returned.

He told court the victim had misinterpreted his words, saying he meant that someone would be there to get the rent money, and that although they had argued over the cash, he denied assaulting her.

Judge Cynthia Devine saidthe victim was credible. She found Hines guilty and sentenced him to a year of supervised probation. He was ordered to take domestic violence counselling and complete an anger-management program.

Court was told Hines, who had had five sons and a stepdaughter, grew up in Winnipeg and received social assistance and disability payments.

He struggled with depression and anxiety.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca