No jail for man who had weapons on ferry

A man charged with plotting to kill police officers in western Newfoundland has been found not guilty because of a mental disorder.

Aftera psychiatrist testified that Mark Baltzer, 53,has bipolar disorder, a western Newfoundlandjudge ruled Friday that Baltzer was not guilty because he was mentally ill when he made threats back in June.

Both the prosecution and defence supported the ruling.

Baltzer pleaded guilty to breaching bail conditions.

He was granted bail originally but was put back in jail when he was spotted heading into a bar something that was prohibited by his bail conditions.

He is not going to jail now because the judge sentenced him to time servedwhile in custody afterhe was arrested,but he is on probation for two years.

Baltzer was arrested June 20 after he attracted attention aboard a Marine Atlantic ferry from Nova Scotia to western Newfoundland.

RCMP said at the time that a passenger had contacted them with a report that Baltzer was planning to kill police officers in Corner Brook. Police searched his car and found weapons, including a rifle and a crossbow.

Baltzer was charged June 22 with illegally owning weapons, uttering threats and breaching court orders.

He appeared in provincial court in Stephenville on Wednesday afternoon on five additional charges, involving failure to comply with court orders.

His bail conditions had included an order to stay away from Newfoundland and Labrador, except for court appearances, to report to the RCMP in Nova Scotia in person twice a week, to contact RCMP officers there an additional three times a week, and to submit to the care of a psychiatrist.

Baltzer has also been ordered to maintain a nightly curfew at his home in Berwick, N.S.

Before his arrest in Newfoundland in June, Baltzer was already scheduled to appear in court in Nova Scotia on unrelated charges.