Crown appealing ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizer Pat King’s sentence

Pat King walks into the Ottawa Courthouse on Thursday, Jan. 16. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa)

The Crown is appealing the three-month conditional sentence handed down to “Freedom Convoy” organizer Pat King last month.

King was sentenced to three months of house arrest, 100 hours of community service at a food bank or men’s shelter, and one year of probation in February after being convicted of mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, counselling others to obstruct police and two counts of disobeying a court order.

He was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police.

On Friday, the Crown confirmed to CTV News Ottawa that a notice of appeal was filed with the Ontario Court of Appeal with respect to the acquittal on King’s intimidation charge and on the sentence imposed.

The Crown had been seeking the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for King, who Justice Charles Hackland said was a leadership figure in the 2022 convoy protests that paralyzed downtown Ottawa for three weeks. Hackland disagreed with the Crown’s demand, saying King’s sentence should be in line with mischief sentences received by other convoy protesters, which ranged from three to six months. King had already spent nine months in custody during his trial.

“We’re going back to court, guys”

Pat King announced the appeal in a video on Facebook Wednesday evening.

“The Crown is getting me back into the court systems. They’ve filed a notice of appeal, and not only that, they want my sentence to be appealed,” he said at the start of the two-hour video. “We’re going back to court, guys.”

King posted on the social media platform X on Thursday in response to the appeal to say “frustrated doesn’t even begin to cover” how he feels.

“My court case, which I thought was settled, is now being dragged out even longer because the Crown’s Office has decided to appeal it. Why? I can’t say for sure, but what I do know is that this move is costing taxpayers—like you and me—hard-earned dollars,” he wrote.