A recent Global News report has renewed public attention on the ongoing criminal proceedings involving Iain Hunt, whose wife Trina Hunt disappeared in January 2021.
More than five years after she was first reported missing, the case still raises difficult questions about timing, evidence, and how Canada’s criminal justice system handles complex investigations.
In the Global News segment, Rob Dhanu, K.C., criminal defence lawyer and co founding partner at Dhanu Dhaliwal Law Group, provided legal insight into why the upcoming trial timeline may not violate Canadian constitutional limits despite appearing unusually long.
Understanding the legal framework behind these timelines is essential for anyone trying to make sense of this case.
The Background of the Trina Hunt Case
Trina Hunt, 48, was reported missing by her husband on January 18, 2021 after disappearing from their home in Port Moody, British Columbia.
According to investigators, Hunt is accused of offering an indignity to human remains by allegedly disposing of Trina Hunt’s body in wooded areas near Port Moody and Hope on January 16, two days before reporting her missing.
Her remains were discovered more than two months later on March 29 near Silver Creek in Hope.
Despite the discovery of her remains, no murder charges have been laid and the exact cause of death remains unknown.
This fact alone has caused significant public confusion.
Many people have asked how someone can be charged with interfering with human remains without facing a murder charge.
Why There Are No Murder Charges
In Canadian criminal law, prosecutors must prove each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
When the cause of death cannot be established or when the available evidence does not meet the legal threshold required for homicide charges, Crown prosecutors may pursue other criminal charges that can be proven based on the available evidence.
Offering an indignity to human remains is a serious Criminal Code offence. It focuses on the treatment of a deceased person’s body rather than the cause of death itself.
That distinction explains why charges can exist even when a homicide charge is not pursued.
Why the Trial Timeline Appears So Long
The trial for Iain Hunt is scheduled for October 2027.
That timeline will place the trial approximately 32 months after charges were laid in February 2025, which has raised concerns among members of the public and the victim’s family.
Many Canadians are familiar with the 18 month guideline established by the Supreme Court of Canada, which sets limits on how long criminal cases should take to reach trial in provincial courts.
However, the rule is more nuanced than many people realize.
Rob Dhanu, K.C. Explains Why the 18 Month Rule Is Not Automatic
In the Global News report, Rob Dhanu, K.C. explained that the Jordan decision does not function like a stopwatch.
Certain periods of delay are excluded when calculating whether the constitutional limit has been exceeded.
As Rob explained during the interview:
“What that likely means is that the defence requested more time for the trial to be set, most likely due to their own calendar.”
He further clarified that this type of delay does not count toward the constitutional timeline.
“What that means in turn is that the 19 months between March 2026 and October 2027 would not count toward that 32 month period.”
When delays are caused by the defence or when they are required for legitimate procedural reasons, those periods are subtracted from the total delay calculation.
This is why a case may appear to exceed the 18 month guideline while still remaining legally valid.
Why Complex Cases Often Take Longer
Criminal trials involving extensive investigations, forensic evidence, or multiple court appearances frequently take longer than simpler cases.
The Trina Hunt investigation has involved years of evidence gathering, search efforts, and legal proceedings.
Court records indicate there have already been 29 court appearances in the matter.
Cases involving disputed evidence, extensive disclosure, and complex factual questions often require additional preparation time for both the prosecution and the defence.
Understanding the Role of the Courts
Canada’s justice system must balance two important principles.
The first is the right of an accused person to be tried within a reasonable time.
The second is ensuring that cases are prepared properly so that the trial process is fair and thorough.
Courts must carefully examine which delays count toward constitutional limits and which do not.
This is why legal analysis from experienced criminal lawyers such as Rob Dhanu, K.C. can help clarify complex issues for the public.
Criminal Charges Require Careful Legal Analysis
High profile criminal cases often generate intense public interest and understandable frustration when proceedings take years to resolve.
However, criminal law requires strict adherence to legal standards and constitutional protections.
Understanding how trial timelines work is essential to understanding why cases unfold the way they do.
Speak With a Criminal Defence Lawyer
If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges in British Columbia, it is important to speak with an experienced defence lawyer as early as possible.
The criminal justice system is complex and the consequences of a conviction can be severe.
Dhanu Dhaliwal Law Group represents clients across British Columbia in serious criminal matters including complex trials and high profile cases.
Call 604.746.3330 to schedule a consultation.
Video Transcript
Kristen Robinson (Reporter):
Hi Iain, it’s Kristen with Global BC. Just wondering about the charges.
Narration:
Iain Hunt was not talking when reached at his Fraser Valley home Wednesday.
More than five years after his wife Trina Hunt disappeared from their former Port Moody home, it will be almost two more years before the 53 year old goes to trial on a charge of interfering with her remains.
Trina Hunt’s Family Member:
You just start to almost give up hope. It makes the whole situation feel very hopeless that there will ever be justice.
Narration:
The 48 year old was reported missing by her husband on January 18, 2021.
Iain Hunt is accused of offering an indignity to Trina’s remains by disposing of her body in the woods at or near Port Moody and Hope on January 16, two days before he reported his wife missing.
Trina’s family says Iain told them they were visiting a campground in Hope the weekend of January 15 and were on a digital detox, which is why Trina could not be reached by phone.
More than two months later, Trina’s remains were discovered south of Silver Creek in Hope on March 29.
Reporter:
Did you kill your wife?
Narration:
How Trina died remains a mystery. No murder charges have been laid.
Reporter:
The question everybody has is how there can be charges of indignity to human remains without murder charges, or without some idea of what happened.
Iain Hunt will be tried 32 months after he was charged in February 2025.
Under Supreme Court of Canada guidelines, provincial court trials should conclude within 18 months of charges being laid.
But criminal lawyer Rob Dhanu, K.C. says it is not a stopwatch calculation.
Court records show a defence initiated adjournment when trial dates were set earlier this month.
Rob Dhanu, K.C.:
What that likely means is that the defence requested more time for the trial to be set, most likely due to their own calendar.
What that means in turn is that the 19 months between March 2026 and October 2027 would not count toward that 32 month period.
Narration:
After 29 court appearances to date, Iain Hunt’s trial is set for October of next year.
Trina Hunt’s Family Member:
We are moving into the next phase of this “justice,” if you can call it that, and there are still no answers.
Kristen Robinson, Global News.
