R. v. Beattie (K.J.), 2015 BCCA 335

• Judge: Newbury, Bennett and Harris, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: July 16, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2015 BCCA 335;(2015), 375 B.C.A.C. 72 (CA)

R. v. Beattie (K.J.) (2015), 375 B.C.A.C. 72 (CA);

    644 W.A.C. 72

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JL.055

Regina (respondent) v. Kevin James Beattie (appellant)

(CA42550; 2015 BCCA 335)

Indexed As: R. v. Beattie (K.J.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Newbury, Bennett and Harris, JJ.A.

July 16, 2015.

Summary:

The 22 year old accused and an accomplice attempted to rob a convenience store, but were scared off by a customer. The accused had possession of an unloaded, concealed sawed-off shotgun. The accused pleaded guilty to attempted robbery using a restricted or prohibited firearm and possession of a weapon while prohibited from doing so. The accused had 26 prior convictions (including robbery), had cognitive and substance abuse issues, and a tragic upbringing. The trial judge sentenced the accused to five years' imprisonment for attempted robbery and a concurrent three year sentence for possessing a firearm while prohibited. Credit for pre-trial custody was limited to a 1.0 to 1.0 basis. The accused appealed against sentence.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed the appeal. The mandatory minimum sentence of five years' imprisonment for robbery involving the use of a firearm (Criminal Code, s. 344(1)) did not apply to "attempted" robbery using a firearm. The court held that a sentence at the low end of the range was appropriate given the relatively unsophisticated nature of the offence, the accused's age, the fact that the robbery was only attempted, and the accused's addiction and cognitive difficulties. Rehabilitation should have played a greater role. The court substituted a sentence of 3.5 years' imprisonment for attempted robbery and six months' imprisonment for possession of a firearm while prohibited. However, the latter sentence should be consecutive rather than concurrent. Additionally, the accused should have been given credit for pre-trial custody on a 1.5 to 1.0 basis.

Criminal Law - Topic 5803

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5805

Sentencing - General - Statutory range mandatory (incl. mandatory minimum sentence) - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5832

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Rehabilitation - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5834.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Mental illness or disorder - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.2

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Time already served - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5855

Sentence - Robbery (incl. attempts) - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5877.2

Sentence - Possession of firearm, ammunition, etc. in breach of prohibition order - See paragraphs 1 to 20.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Gill (S.S.) (2006), 224 B.C.A.C. 77; 370 W.A.C. 77; 2006 BCCA 127, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Arthurs - see R. v. Wust (L.W.).

R. v. Wust (L.W.) (1998), 107 B.C.A.C. 130; 174 W.A.C. 130; 125 C.C.C.(3d) 43 (C.A.), revsd. (2000), 252 N.R. 332; 134 B.C.A.C. 236; 219 W.A.C. 236; 2000 SCC 19, refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Cornell, 2007 YKTC 41, refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Hall, 2012 BCPC 255, refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Brogan (E.P.) (1999), 125 B.C.A.C. 310; 204 W.A.C. 310; 1999 BCCA 278, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Longtin (J.A.E.) (2001), 159 B.C.A.C. 315; 259 W.A.C. 315; 2001 BCCA 614, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Bell (T.L.) (2005), 215 B.C.A.C. 51; 355 W.A.C. 51; 2005 BCCA 403, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. McDowell (R.G.) (2010), 295 B.C.A.C. 294; 501 W.A.C. 294; 2010 BCCA 529, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Felawka, [1993] 4 S.C.R. 199; 159 N.R. 50; 33 B.C.A.C. 241; 54 W.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Frohock, [1999] B.C.J. No. 2243 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Ball (A.T.) (2014), 353 B.C.A.C. 178; 603 W.A.C. 178; 2014 BCCA 120, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Guha (M.D.) (2012), 328 B.C.A.C. 303; 558 W.A.C. 303; 2012 BCCA 423, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Ahmadzai (M.A.) (2013), 335 B.C.A.C. 22; 573 W.A.C. 22; 2013 BCCA 80, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Scott (T.B.) (2000), 136 B.C.A.C. 161; 222 W.A.C. 161; 2000 BCCA 220, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Scott (T.B.), [2001] B.C.A.C. Uned. 88; 2001 BCCA 249, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Gwyn (J.J.Q.) (2013), 334 B.C.A.C. 48; 572 W.A.C. 48; 2013 BCCA 51, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Summers (S.) (2014), 456 N.R. 1; 316 O.A.C. 349; 2014 SCC 26, refd to. [para. 19].

Counsel:

M.N. Sokolova, for the appellant;

E.A. Campbell, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on July 16, 2015, at Vancouver, B.C., before Newbury, Bennett and Harris, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

On July 16, 2015, the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered orally, including the following opinions:

Newbury, J.A. - see paragraphs 1 to 20;

Bennett, J.A. - see paragraph 21;

Harris, J.A. - see paragraph 22.