Midland, Ont. man accused of murdering his girlfriend denied bail

Accused murderer Justus Chester has been denied bail by a judge in Barrie.

Chester, 26, will not be released from custody following a ruling Monday afternoon by Justice Chris de Sa who dismissed the defence application to have Chester bailed out by loved ones.

The judge ruled the defence, led by experienced Toronto lawyer Alison Craig, failed to meet its onus on secondary and tertiary grounds. While the judge did not provide written reasons during the proceedings, failure to meet the onus on those grounds meant the defence did not satisfy the court with its release plan to adequately address concerns for the protection or safety of the public, including victims or witnesses.

The defence also failed, in its arguments last week, to convince Justice de Sa that Chester’s release would not disturb public confidence in the administration of justice.

Chester’s release plan was to a proposed residential surety who pledged $1500.

Chester is alleged to have killed his girlfriend Julia Brady last summer. Her father told CTV News she had met Chester on the dating app Tinder a few months earlier.

Police said at the time of his arrest, Chester was charged with second-degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend inside her Seventh Street Midland apartment.

Julia’s father told CTV News his daughter had called 911 for help the afternoon of July 15, 2024, and when officers arrived, she was found dead. Police did not reveal how Brady died.

Police confirmed Chester was taken to hospital for medical attention.

Chester has been behind bars since his arrest. Any evidence heard in the bail hearing and court proceedings is protected by a publication ban.

Chester remains in custody at Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene and is scheduled to make his next video court appearance on Wednesday. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.