R. v. Basha (J.S.), (1998) 169 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 260 (NFTD)

• Judge: Russell, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
• Case Date: November 13, 1998
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (1998), 169 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 260 (NFTD)

R. v. Basha (J.S.) (1998), 169 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 260 (NFTD);

    521 A.P.R. 260

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. DE.002

Her Majesty The Queen v. Joseph Simon Basha

(1997 No. C.B. 412)

Indexed As: R. v. Basha (J.S.)

Newfoundland Supreme Court

Trial Division

Russell, J.

November 20, 1998.

Summary:

An accused was convicted of one count of fraud and four counts of attempted fraud related to ACOA funding. Both parties agreed that the range of sentencing was 12 to 18 months. The accused sought a conditional sentence. The Crown requested that the accused fully compensate ACOA.

The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, ordered a 16 month conditional sentence, probation to follow for a term of three years and full restitution to ACOA.

Criminal Law - Topic 5640

Punishments (sentence) - Fines, penalties and compensation orders - Compensation order - Considerations - An accused received a grant of $56,826 from ACOA by submitting false bids of a nonexistent company with his application - He was convicted of one count of fraud and four counts of attempted fraud - The Crown requested that the accused fully compen­sate ACOA - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, ordered that the accused pay full restitution of the funds to ACOA because: there was no serious contest on legal or factual issues; the amount was ascertainable; and ACOA would not have paid the money except for fraud - The court stated that "an order for compensation may be made if it can be done expeditiously without turning the sentencing proceeding into the equivalent of a civil trial." - See paragraphs 35 to 42.

Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4

Punishments (sentence) - Conditional sentence - When available or appropriate - An accused was convicted of one count of fraud and four counts of attempted fraud resulting from, inter alia, submitting false bids from nonexistent companies with his applications for funding to ACOA - There were six prior and two subsequent convic­tions - The parties agreed that the range of the sentence was 12 to 18 months - The accused sought a conditional sentence - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, held that the subsequent convic­tions may be considered in the assessment of the overall character of the offender - The court ordered a conditional sentence of 16 months, to be followed by probation of three years.

Criminal Law - Topic 5792

Punishments (sentence) - Restitution - When appropriate - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5640 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5842.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Post-conviction conduct - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5859

Sentence - Fraud - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Elsharawy (M.) (1997), 156 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 297; 483 A.P.R. 297 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Rennie, [1990] N.J. No. 8 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Pelley (A.J.) (1990), 84 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 175; 262 A.P.R. 175 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para 16].

R. v. Collins (D.S.) (1995), 129 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 340; 402 A.P.R. 340 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Katz (Z.) (1996), 17 O.T.C. 4 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Seguin (G.) (1997), 54 O.T.C. 62 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Molloy (A.) (1997), 153 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 81; 475 A.P.R. 81 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Bortolussi (R.) (1997), 36 O.T.C. 189 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Simms, [1998] N.J. No. 172, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. L.F.W. (1997), 155 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 115; 481 A.P.R. 115 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Brown (A.K.) (1997), 155 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 188; 481 A.P.R. 188 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Oliver (E.M.) (1997), 156 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 301; 483 A.P.R. 301 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Quilty (R.) et al. (1997), 156 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 320; 483 A.P.R. 320 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Pardy (P.N.) (1998), 162 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 178; 500 A.P.R. 178 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Bailey (R.P.) (1998), 162 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 191; 500 A.P.R. 191 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Snelgrove (1997), 155 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 481 A.P.R. 1 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. C.A.M., [1996] 1 S.C.R. 500; 194 N.R. 321; 73 B.C.A.C. 81; 120 W.A.C. 81; 105 C.C.C.(3d) 327, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Katz (Z.) (1996), 17 O.T.C. 309 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Zelensky, [1978] 2 S.C.R. 940; 21 N.R. 372, 41 C.C.C.(2d) 97, refd to. [para. 39].

Counsel:

Del Atwood, for the Crown;

William English, for the accused.

This matter was heard on November 13, 1998, by Russell, J., of the Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, who rendered the following oral decision on November 20, 1998.