Suspect in killing of Bailey McCourt is charged with breaching no-contact order

KELOWNA — The estranged husband of Bailey McCourt, who is accused of murdering her in Kelowna, B.C., last year, has now been charged with one count of failing to comply with a no-contact order.

The BC Prosecution Service says James Plover’s breach is alleged to have occurred on Sept. 24 in Pitt Meadows, adding that he was charged on April 30 and had a court appearance on the matter on Wednesday.

Plover faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of McCourt who was fatally injured in a hammer attack in a parking lot on July 4, 2025.

The next day, Plover was arrested and charged with her murder.

He originally faced a second-degree murder charge, but it was later upgraded to first-degree murder, with conviction carrying a mandatory life sentence without chance of parole for 25 years.

The murder trial is expected to begin in September and to continue for about two months.

Plover also faces a charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm that was laid in connection to a second victim on the day McCourt was attacked.

Hours before the attack, Plover was freed on $500 bail after being convicted in a separate case of assault by strangling and uttering threats.

The identities of the victims in the strangling case are covered by a publication ban.

Plover was sentenced in November to one year in jail on the choking charge and six months on each of the threat charges, which were all to be served at the same time.

Accounting for time awaiting trial, Plover was expected to serve about five months, but was to remain in custody ahead of his murder trial.

Bailey’s Law, legislation that is named after McCourt, received royal assent last month, making a charge of first-degree murder applicable to killings that happen as part of a pattern of coercive or controlling conduct, regardless of whether the act was premeditated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2026.

The Canadian Press