(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

It's not clear why an otherwise law-abiding 73-year-old man walked into Kelowna city hall in October 2023 with a large, homemade sign and sporting a belligerent attitude.

The senior hung around in the building and at one point pulled out his phone and asked a member of staff to identify someone he'd taken a photo of. The photo was of another city hall employee and he'd clearly taken the photo at a distance.

Thinking it was a very odd request, the staffer refused and the senior's demeanour became aggressive. After more than an hour and a half in city hall, the RCMP arrived and issued the senior a trespass notice.

On Jan. 24, Donald Sydney Hannah, 73, appeared in a Kelowna courtroom where BC Provincial Court Judge Lisa Wyatt found him guilty of mischief, loitering and obstructing persons in a public place.

It's still not clear what his point was.

The court heard how Hannah had a sign that read "Jay Jean stop the racist" referring to a city staffer.

On the morning of Oct. 6, 2023, Hannah entered city hall with his sign and began speaking to staff. He also started filming them.

He demanded staff tell him the name of the person in the photo he was showing them, and staff testified they began to feel a little intimidated.

After Hannah was escorted out by the RCMP, he returned later that day to the parking lot.

He stood in front of a employee trying to leave work in their car, and pointed to his sign, refusing to let them leave.

The court heard how security staff at city hall knew who Hannah was and they had previous issues with him at the Parkinson Rec Centre.

While the police handed him a trespass order, Hannah was back at Kelowna city hall a week later standing outside when a press conference was about to take place.

He stood there with his sign and filmed people going in and out of the staff-only entrance.

"On numerous occasions, Mr. Hannah holds up his sign in what appears to be an effort to have people read his sign," Judge Wyatt said.

During the press conference he yelled "shame, shame, shame" but no explanation was given in court as to what this was in reference to.

He was asked to leave by security staff and then by the RCMP. He refused and got arrested.

"His actions were deliberate and willful, and he simply has no defence," the judge said.

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After being charged, Hannah didn't get a lawyer and defended himself in court. It didn't go well, and he was found guilty of two of four charges.

Judge Wyatt probed Hannah for his background story before deciding on a sentence, but the senior didn't say much.

He told the court he lived alone in Creston but did have property in Kelowna. He was retired and volunteered at an animal shelter and at a church-run food bank. He said he had health problems but he didn't want to discuss them. His health meant he wasn't able to volunteer much anymore.

"Is there anything else about you, yourself, that you want to tell me?" the Judge asked.

"Not right now, no," Hannah replied.

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The judge said she didn't know what the sign meant and Hannah's beef with the City of Kelowna wasn't mentioned during the trial.

Regardless of the motive, Judge Wyatt said Hannah's actions made people feel unsafe at work.

"They felt harassed at being filmed. And people, when they go to work, should be able to feel safe at work," the judge said. "They should feel safe leaving work. And they shouldn't be having cameras put in front of their faces. And you were somewhat tone-deaf as to what clearly was a pattern of harassment of the city employees."

Crown prosecutor Jordan Schroeder argued for a three-year suspended sentence, but the judge instead opted for two years.

The Schroeder also argued Hannah should do some form of community service, but Judge Wyatt found his health would prevent that.

He'll was ordered to pay a $200 fine and was barred from going to Kelowna city hall unless it was for official business.

And after seven decades, the senior now has a criminal record.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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