Former Blazer involved in beach baby snatch intends to enter a plea

KELOWNA – The former hockey player who allegedly grabbed a baby from its mother at a Kelowna beach in March appears to be ready to enter a guilty plea.

Harold Giffen Clarkson Nyren, 30, is charged with assault and willfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer stemming from an April 28 incident when he allegedly grabbed a baby at Kerry Park. Once the baby was taken from him, police say Nyren fled from police and jumped into Okanagan Lake. He became stranded on a log boom and police had to use the Kelowna Fire Department's rescue vessel to apprehend him.

He's been awaiting a psychiatric assessment since he was charged, and at a court appointment Wednesday, July 3 in the Kelowna judicial case manager office he was scheduled for a July 23 court date for the intent to plead guilty. To which charge a guilty plea may be entered remains to be seen.

Nyren, who's originally from Calgary, played for the Kamloops Blazers from 2008 to 2010. Dating back to 2005, he's played for teams in Calgary, Moose Jaw, Colorado, France and Italy. For the 2018-2019 season, he played for Amiens in the French league.

He will be back in court on June 23.

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