A Timmins woman is facing rare witchcraft-related charges after police say she attempted to get money in exchange for “protecting a family.”

Police say they charged a 33-year-old woman who claims to be a “spiritualist, medium and clairvoyant.”  The charge is Pretending to Practice Witchcraft, a crime still listed in section 365-b of the Criminal Code.

Marc Depatie of Timmins Police Service says he can’t remember the last time he say witchcraft on an arrest report.

“It escapes me.  This is, of course, a rather obscure section of the Criminal Code.   It applies to the fraudulent aspect of taking advantage of an overly trusting and perhaps the naïve.” said Depatie.

They say the woman offered to protect a Timmins resident and her family from some potential danger in exchange for money.

“We’re issuing a cursory warning to the general public that they should be mindful that these people who make these types of claims have to be taken with a certain amount of skepticism.” said Depatie.

Police say people wanting to practice witchcraft or fortune telling are free to do so, but that it must be for entertainment only.

“Where, in fact, somebody makes extravagant claims for your protection, offering some level of preventing of bad things, some mysterious, nebulous bad thing that might happen, in return for financial compensation, that is, in fact, something that meets the definition of a fraudulent act.“ said Depatie.

The Timmins psychic may be one of the last people charged with the offense.  The witchcraft law is one of several archaic so-called “zombie laws” set to be repealed with a bill that passed last week.

However, legal expert Ari Goldkind says this type of law can still serve a purpose.

“I think it’s actually an important section because it really reflects people being taken advantage of under the rubric of fortune telling, witchcraft, sorcery with intent to defraud somebody.” said Goldkind.

The accused woman is scheduled to appear in court in January.  

If convicted of the charge, she could face a maximum of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

“We’re at a loss to explain how this clairvoyant didn’t see this coming.” said Depatie.