This article discusses intimate partner violence and may be triggering to some readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence or abuse contact the 91大黄鸭 Women鈥檚 Shelter 24/7 support line at 250-763-1040 or text 236-970-0704. In an emergency, call 911.
The murder of Bailey McCourt has reignited serious concerns about how British Columbia鈥檚 justice system protects women from intimate partner violence鈥攁nd whether it鈥檚 doing enough.
The mother of two was killed in a violent attack on July 4, just hours after her ex-partner, James Plover, was convicted of assaulting and threatening an individual stemming from an incident on June 23, 2024.
He has been charged with second-degree murder in McCourt鈥檚 death.
The , showed that his sentencing was delayed up to 10 weeks while lawyers waited for a psychiatric assessment鈥攍eaving him in the community, under conditions the public has never seen.
For frontline women鈥檚 advocates, McCourt鈥檚 death is a devastating but sadly familiar story.
鈥淎 lot of women choose not to use the police when they experience male violence because they don't trust that they will be able to protect them,鈥� Karla Gjini, a collective member at , told Black Press Media in an interview.
鈥淭ime and time again, women are murdered or beaten by men that they've previously reported to the police.鈥�
Gjini said McCourt鈥檚 death reflects a system-wide failure, not just in policy but in enforcement.
鈥淚n general, I think we see that protection orders, bail conditions鈥攖hey are not often effective in preventing male violence against women.鈥�
She added that even when women do report threats or violence to police, they are often not taken seriously, especially in cases involving intimate partners.
鈥淯nless there's a serious and specific threat to her, often nothing really happens if she does use the police,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t kind of sends a message鈥� that when a man is uttering threats, nobody takes it seriously if it's directed at a woman, especially a woman that he had a romantic relationship with.鈥�
When asked where solutions should begin鈥攚hether with police, the courts, or elsewhere鈥擥jini said the first step must be accountability, starting with understanding how the justice system failed Bailey McCourt.
鈥淚 think one of the first things that has to happen is complete transparency,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hy was this allowed to happen at all? What were the extensive protection conditions that were already in place? And why was it not evaluated after the conviction?鈥�
When asked why women鈥檚 warnings and pleas for protection often go unheard, Gjini pointed to systemic inaction鈥攏ot a lack of laws, but a failure to follow through.
鈥淭his is a big question for us, because we do have good laws, and we do have a good violence against women in relationship policy in the province,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t's up to each actor in this process to actually implement and execute these processes in an appropriate way that actually sees women as whole human beings, who are deserving of public safety and personal safety.鈥�
Attorney General Responds
Black Press Media submitted several questions by email to B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma regarding intimate partner violence, the Bailey McCourt case, and concerns raised by women鈥檚 advocates who say the system is failing victims like Bailey.
Does the AG believe current procedures for bail and protective conditions are enough to protect victims of intimate partner violence?
This horrific case underscores serious shortcomings in the criminal justice system鈥檚 ability to protect victims, particularly women, from intimate partner violence. The Attorney General has been clear: current bail provisions and protective conditions need to be reviewed and strengthened. That鈥檚 why B.C. has pushed for national reforms, including changes to bail and sentencing laws, to better reflect the risks posed by violent offenders.
While prosecutors make decisions based on the law and evidence in each case, we know the broader system needs to respond more effectively, especially when women鈥檚 lives are at stake. We are encouraged that the federal government has heard our proposals and acknowledged the need for national reform and has committed to introducing legislation to amend the Criminal Code this fall.
Is the ministry reviewing or planning to review how release orders are used in cases like this 鈥� especially after someone has been convicted?
The ministry is examining the bail process both before and after conviction in intimate partner violence cases. Under current federal law, reverse onus provisions (where the burden shifts to the accused to justify their release) apply in certain circumstances, but are not automatically triggered after conviction. The presumption under the Criminal Code is that conditions imposed during the initial bail hearing remain in effect through to the conclusion of the sentencing hearing.
B.C. believes this is a gap in the law, and we will be pressing the federal government to review this presumption post-conviction and introduce stronger safeguards for high-risk cases. The premier also plans to raise this issue at the next First Ministers Meeting with the prime minister.
Are there any plans to introduce changes (legislative or otherwise) to improve supervision or accountability in IPV cases involving repeat or high-risk offenders?
The Attorney General appointed Dr. Kim Stanton in 2024 to review . Dr. Stanton鈥檚 findings, delivered to government and publicly released in June 2025, reinforce the need for reform and we鈥檙e working through her recommendations to guide the next phase of our work. This includes reviewing monitoring practices, risk assessments, and trauma-informed procedures to ensure high-risk individuals are subject to the scrutiny and accountability they require.
The Attorney General is championing work with the federal government, which is responsible for the Criminal Code, to strengthen bail and sentencing laws, as well as issues that have long been overlooked at the national level, like stronger protections against intimate partner and gender-based violence, and the need to re-evaluate risk in cases involving repeat sex offenders.
We are encouraged by what we heard at the recent First Ministers Meeting, where the federal government acknowledged the need for national reform and has committed to introducing legislation to amend the Criminal Code this fall.
What is the AG鈥檚 response to calls from women鈥檚 advocates who say the system is failing victims like Bailey?
We hear them, and we agree change is needed. The Attorney General, the new minister of public safety, and the premier have all acknowledged that the system is not adequately protecting women, particularly those at risk of intimate partner violence. Bailey鈥檚 death is a devastating tragedy. It demands not just answers in this specific case, but a deeper shift in how the system understands and responds to risk.
That鈥檚 why B.C. launched an independent review in 2024, led by Dr. Kim Stanton, and why we are pushing hard for national reforms to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
