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Mountain bike trail saboteur to plead guilty

A North Vancouver woman accused of sabotaging mountain biking trails is expected to plead guilty to a criminal charge in the case.

A North Vancouver woman accused of sabotaging mountain biking trails is expected to plead guilty to a criminal charge in the case.

Martin Peters, defence lawyer for Tineke (Tina) Kraal, 64, said Kraal intends to plead guilty when her case comes back to court — likely at the end of June.

Kraal faces one charge of obstructing or interfering with District of North Vancouver trails in a way "likely to constitute mischief causing actual danger to life" between Jan. 5, 2013 to Jan. 4, 2015.

The Upper Lynn Valley resident is accused of repeatedly laying branches, logs and sticks across steep sections of the Lower Skull and Quarry Court trails on Mount Fromme.

The case came to light after two mountain bikers placed hidden cameras in the trees, allegedly capturing Kraal's actions on surveillance.

Kraal was arrested at 5 a.m. on Jan. 4 as she exited a trailhead.

Peters refused to comment Wednesday on whether the surveillance video was a factor in Kraal’s intent to plead guilty.

Earlier charges of setting a trap with intent to injure and mischief by obstructing use of property have been dropped.

Peters also refused to comment on how his client is doing in the face of intense public interest in the case.

“I will have a lot to say about this when we get to sentence,” he said.

Neither the Crown prosecutor nor Peters would comment on what kind of sentence Kraal could be facing once she pleads guilty.

Peters said the circumstances of the case are very unusual.

“Both the Crown and I had difficulty finding any precedents,” he said. “This is a real one-off.”

A date for Kraal’s next court appearance will be set next week.