The case against the Essa Township couple at the centre of a human-trafficking investigation has been deferred another three weeks.
A lawyer appeared virtually in Bradford case management court (CMC) briefly Thursday afternoon on behalf of Lauriston Maloney, 42, and Amber Maloney, 36.
During the court appearance, the lawyer noted there will be a judicial pre-trial on Nov. 29.
The presiding judge then rescheduled the next CMC appearance for Dec. 14 at the Bradford courthouse.
A judicial pre-trial is a meeting between the defendant, the Crown and a judge for the purpose of sorting out issues before the trial or resolving the case without a trial, which may involve a withdrawal of charges, diversion or a guilty plea.
The Maloneys were charged July 19, just days after Ontario Provincial Police alerted the public that Lauriston Maloney, a convicted sex offender who was listed on the national sex offender registry, was living at Beating the Odds Children's Camp in Essa Township, west of Barrie.
His wife, Amber Maloney, owned and operated the camp at the couple’s Ivy-area home. It offered services for children with autism, but has since closed.
A publication ban protects any evidence heard in court from being released. However, police have previously indicated the alleged victim in the case did not attend the Beating the Odds day camp.
Lauriston Maloney has been charged with two counts of assault, trafficking in a person, receiving material benefit resulting from trafficking a person and forcible confinement.
Nottawasaga OPP have previously said that he was convicted in Peel Region in 2004 and 2013 for 16 criminal charges related to child trafficking.
Amber Maloney is charged with trafficking in a person, receiving material benefit resulting from trafficking a person, administering a noxious substance, fraud over $5,000 and uttering a forged document.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
Both of the accused were released from custody Aug. 11 after being granted bail in a Barrie courtroom.
Lauriston Maloney is required to wear an ankle bracelet and reside with his father in Brampton.
