Father who prevented daughter from getting COVID-19 vaccine sentenced

By Drew Postey

Click here for updates on this story

    REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN (CTV Network) — Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan father who withheld his then seven-year-old daughter from her mom for nearly 100 days to prevent the girl from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, was handed a 12-month prison sentence and 200 days probation on Friday.

Jackson was credited for time served, which was 541 days while on remand, meaning he will not spend another day behind bars for the case.

“He will be free to go today subject to the terms of the probation order,” Justice MacMillan-Brown said. One of the terms of Jackson’s probation is no contact with his daughter and her mother, who is also his ex-wife. He was also handed 100 hours of community service.

Last spring, Jackson was found guilty of contravention of a custody order following two weeks of court proceedings.

Jackson did not return his daughter to her mother, his ex-wife, in November 2021 and disappeared with the child until February of 2022.

He was found with his daughter by police in Vernon, B.C.

Jackson, 55, was granted bail in February 2023.

During sentencing submissions, Jackson claimed the time away from his daughter and jail time already served was enough punishment, and said that while behind bars other inmates meddled with his food and staff “trashed” his living space during searches of his cell.

The Crown was seeking a two-year prison sentence with credit for time served on remand, plus three years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

With files from Donovan Maess

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca