Controversial London group home operator Keith Charles, one of whose buildings became a lightning rod for substandard housing after a deadly fire, couldn’t wait to get away from the courthouse Monday.

“They’re putting me in jail for helping people,” was all he’d say as he left the provincial offences courthouse, after being found guilty of 12 fire code violations at an Oxford Street apartment building for which the prosecution is calling for $60,000 in fines — $5,000 per count.

Justice of the Peace Peter Aharan agreed to give Charles time to argue against the fines, which, if they stick, wouldn’t be the only penalty for Charles, who helps the severely mentally ill and those with addictions through his People Helping People organization.

Tack on court surcharges, and the total fine would rise to a whopping $75,000. That’s on top of a $7,500 fine slapped against Charles last week for another property he leases on Clarke Road.

The address at 1451 Oxford St., was piling up fire-code infractions for months in 2014 before the fire broke out Nov. 3. that year, with 72-year-old resident David MacPherson later dying of his injuries.

It was that blaze — and the shocking state of unregulated informal housing for the mentally ill and others in London — that finally led the city to bring in a tough new bylaw to license such group homes.

Among other standards, the bylaw — which some worry is too tough — requires care plans for residents and that operators carry $5 million in liability insurance coverage.

In the run-up to the bylaw, which took effect four months ago, London came under a harsh public spotlight for not doing enough to rein in the informal group homes.

So did the province, which more than 20 years ago — as it began closing psychiatric and other institutions housing the vulnerable — was warned that thousands of Ontarians were living in conditions reminiscent of the worst of Victorian England, in unregulated group homes, boarding houses and cheap hotels.

Charles hasn’t been fined yet and has a week to put together his arguments not to be hit so heavily.

What emerged from the trial, where he defended himself without a lawyer, was the portrait of a poorly-organized man, who was once an addict, overwhelmed by the responsibilities and management of a small community of mentally ill people.

Even before Aharan’s decision to convict him, Charles was still maintaining his innocence and that the obvious problems at the building he leased weren’t his fault, but that of the building owner.

“If I don’t pay the fines I go to jail. And the fines are ridiculous amounts,” he said. “How in this god’s Earth in London you can charge somebody for what another person does and not hold that person accountable.”

“Why am I here. I did not do anything. For what somebody else does? It’s ludicrous.”

Aharan’s decision left no doubt he found Charles’s defence to the individual charges inadequate.

He noted that written final arguments, even after a warning from Aharan not to include any new evidence, included evidence and were written in the first person.

Charles had leased the Oxford Street building from owner Dharma Meetun and used it to house people with severe mental illnesses.

Charles also had $14-a-day service agreements with the clients, under which he’d make their meals and supply them with toiletries.

Aharan said that while Charles was singularly focused on proving he wasn’t an “owner,” he met the broad definition of that under the fire code.

The London fire department charged Charles after fire doors were found propped open with pails and carpets, emergency lights were burned out, furnishings were left in hallways and smoke detectors were

either missing or disabled.

During one inspection, it was discovered that one resident was being housed in the electrical room.

Aharan said that during the cross-examinations of the fire inspectors, Charles didn’t challenge the specifics of their findings.

Aharan said choosing to operate homes for vulnerable people required Charles to be diligent in his upkeep of the buildings, ensuring the fire-code standards were met and to keep proper records.

The fire investigations “demonstrate a pattern of neglect over a period of time.”

Prosecutor Michelle Perez Butlin argued for the fines to “specifically deter Mr. Charles,” given the ongoing problems at the property.

Saying he had “feed some people at lunch time today,” Charles asked for a break to prepare his sentencing argument.

The afternoon session Monday was brief.

Charles arrived with some financial documents — his credit card statement, his mortgage statement and some of his banking summaries.

Aharan told Charles he appreciated his efforts, and suggested a statement of his income would be helpful.

Charles agreed that People Helping People isn’t a corporate entity and that all money associated with the endeavor went through him.

Aharan said he could have a week to prepare. Charles was cleaning up his paperwork to leave before even telling the court official he needed the time.

He’s to return March 20 for his submissions and Aharan’s decision.

jsims@postmedia.com

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Read reporter Jane Sims' tweets as she covered his sentencing: