Police: Polygamist has 25 wives, 101 kids

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 1 (UPI) -- A British Columbia man living in a polygamist sect has 25 wives and 101 children with brides as young as 15, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police allege.

Winston Blackmore, 52, is charged with one count of practicing polygamy as a member of the Bountiful sect, which has about 1,000 members, CTV News reported.

In an affidavit filed with the provincial Supreme Court, the RCMP alleges since 1976, Blackmore had nine child brides, four of whom were 15, CTV reported. Tuesday in Vancouver, he told reporters "that's wrong" as documents were being filed for a pre-trial hearing.

The RCMP named four of the brides who allegedly had their first children by Blackmore before they turned 18. Federal law was changed in 2008 to raise the age of marital consent to 16 from 14, CTV said.

His lawyers have said his defense will be the ban on polygamy violates Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for April, but Blackmore's lawyers are trying to have the case thrown out on procedural issues, CTV said.