R. v. Bennett (T.J.), (2014) 347 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 73 (NLPC)

JudgeGorman, P.C.J.
CourtNewfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court (Canada)
Case DateFebruary 18, 2014
JurisdictionNewfoundland and Labrador
Citations(2014), 347 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 73 (NLPC)

R. v. Bennett (T.J.) (2014), 347 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 73 (NLPC);

    1080 A.P.R. 73

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2014] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. FE.030

Her Majesty the Queen v. Tyler James Bennett

(2014 PCNL 1413A00073)

Indexed As: R. v. Bennett (T.J.)

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court

Gorman, P.C.J.

February 20, 2014.

Summary:

The accused pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of stolen goods, disguised with intent, possession for the purposes of committing an offence, theft and breach of recognizance. The Crown proceeded by way of summary conviction in relation to the theft and breach of undertaking and by way of indictment on the remaining offences.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court sentenced the accused to a total of three years' imprisonment, reduced by 64 days for pretrial custody. That included a suspended sentence with probation for the theft offence. The court also imposed the mandatory victim surcharge of $100 for both summary conviction offences, to be paid within 30 days, a DNA order and a 10 year weapons prohibition.

Criminal Law - Topic 5627

Punishments (sentence) - Fines, penalties and compensation orders - Victim fine surcharge - The Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act was proclaimed into force on October 24, 2013 - The Act, in addition to increasing the amount of the minimum surcharge imposed, made the imposition of a victim surcharge mandatory - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court held that the amendments to the victim fine surcharge provisions had prospective effect only - See paragraphs 94 to 97.

Criminal Law - Topic 5627

Punishments (sentence) - Fines, penalties and compensation orders - Victim fine surcharge - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court held that, in Newfoundland and Labrador, where a fine was not imposed, s. 2 of the Victim Surcharge Order created a mandatory time period of 30 days for the payment of victim fine surcharges - See paragraphs 99 to 101.

Criminal Law - Topic 5704

Punishments (sentence) - Suspended sentence - Circumstances when appropriate - The 20 year old accused participated with two others in a planned robbery of the victim at knife point - They forcefully entered the victim's residence with their faces concealed, assaulted the victim (he was struck in the head) and stole prescription medication, cannabis marijuana, an electronic device and cash - The accused was arrested and released on recognizance - He breached the recognizance's curfew and stole two electronic toothbrushes from a store - He was arrested and denied interim release - He pleaded guilty to the resulting charges - While in custody he attended adult basic education courses - Assessed as a medium risk of reoffending - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court concluded that the criteria for a home invasion were met (Criminal Code, s. 348.1) - It was appropriate to impose concurrent sentences of five years' imprisonment for robbery, one year for possessing a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence; one year for being disguised with intent; and 30 days for possessing stolen property (the indictable offences), and a consecutive sentence of 14 days for breaching the undertaking and a suspended sentence with probation for the theft (the summary conviction offences), for a total sentence of five years and 1.5 months - However, given the sentence sought by the Crown (18 months to three years), the court imposed a total of three years' imprisonment, reduced by 64 days for 64 days of pretrial custody - The court also imposed the mandatory victim surcharge of $100 for both summary conviction offences, to be paid within 30 days, a DNA order and a 10 year weapons prohibition.

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.2

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Time already served (incl. bail) - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court held that, to the extent that an accused sought an enhanced credit for pretrial custody based upon potential loss of remission/parole or harsh remand conditions, the accused had to present evidence to meet her or his onus of establishing that an enhanced credit should be granted - See paragraph 91.

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Representations of counsel - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.23

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Home invasion - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5854

Sentence - Theft - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5855

Sentence - Robbery - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5861

Sentence - Assault (incl. common assault) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5862

Sentence - Possession of stolen goods or goods obtained by crime - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5871

Sentence - Possession and use or sale of weapons or ammunition - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5892

Sentence - Breach of restraining order, recognizance or undertaking - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5935

Sentence - Disguise with intent - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5704 ].

Statutes - Topic 6744

Operation and effect - Commencement, duration and repeal - Prospective enactments - What constitutes - [See first Criminal Law- Topic 5627 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. King (D.) (2013), 336 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 255; 1043 A.P.R. 255 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Barron (C.) (2013), 336 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 237; 1043 A.P.R. 237 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 6].

R. v. Lundrigan (D.A.) (2012), 324 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 270; 1007 A.P.R. 270; 2012 NLCA 43, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Webber (C.G.), [2013] A.R. Uned. 125; 2013 ABCA 189, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Knott (D.W.) (2012), 433 N.R. 38; 324 B.C.A.C. 1; 551 W.A.C. 1; 2012 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Berner (C.-A.) (2013), 337 B.C.A.C. 146; 576 W.A.C. 146; 2013 BCCA 188, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v Kane (M.) (2012), 325 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 78; 1009 A.P.R. 78; 2012 NLCA 53, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Fizzard (S.) (2012), 330 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 301; 1026 A.P.R. 301; 2012 NLCA 80, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Roche (1990), 84 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 262 A.P.R. 1 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Cluney (N.) (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 57; 1049 A.P.R. 57; 2013 NLCA 46, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. B.J.G. (2013), 556 A.R. 6; 584 W.A.C. 6; 2013 ABCA 260, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Smith (T.D.) (2013), 337 B.C.A.C. 27; 576 W.A.C. 27; 2013 BCCA 173, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Briand (R.) et al. (2010), 302 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 67; 938 A.P.R. 67 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Ginnish (D.) (2014), 415 N.B.R.(2d) 156; 1076 A.P.R. 156; 2014 NBCA 5, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Elias; R. v. Issa, [2013] HCA 31, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. J.L.T., [2003] N.J. No. 306 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Lasaga, [2005] N.J. No. 398 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Barbaro, [2014] HCA 2, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. S.B., [2003] N.J. No. 148 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. Day (S.B.) (2013), 336 B.C.A.C. 224; 574 W.A.C. 224; 2013 BCCA 172, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Oake (B.) (2010), 296 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 79; 915 A.P.R. 79 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

Western Australia (State) v. Doualeh, [2014] WASCA 3, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Johnston (H.E.) (2011), 311 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 129; 967 A.P.R. 129 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Kelly (J.G.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 341; 1078 A.P.R. 341; 2014 NLCA 9, refd to. [para. 49].

R. v. Prowse (J.) (1998), 168 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 289; 517 A.P.R. 289 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. C.C. (2012), 322 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 77; 1000 A.P.R. 77 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Reid (K.D.) (2012), 324 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 351; 1007 A.P.R. 351 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Roberts (F.B.) (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 116; 1049 A.P.R. 116 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. J.B. (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 333; 1049 A.P.R. 333 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Park (A.S.) (2013), 339 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 1054 A.P.R. 1 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Sutherland (B.J.) (2013), 334 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 118; 1037 A.P.R. 118 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Murphy (D.) (2011), 304 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 266; 944 A.P.R. 266 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Power (A.M.) (2010), 301 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 352; 932 A.P.R. 352 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Hutchings (R.) (2012), 316 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 211; 982 A.P.R. 211 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 53].

R. v. Manning (J.C.) (2014), 345 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 25; 1074 A.P.R. 25 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Hackett (T.M.) (2013), 345 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 1074 A.P.R. 1 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Fitzpatrick, [2010] N.J. No. 238 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Bell, [2011] N.J. No. 108 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Delaney (B.), [2012] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. Uned. 83 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Crocker (E.S.V.) (2013), 332 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 325; 1030 A.P.R. 325 (N.L.T.D. (Gen.)), refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Strickland-Murphy (C.) (2012), 324 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 36; 1007 A.P.R. 36 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Bungay (J.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 28; 1078 A.P.R. 28 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Bowman (M.) (2013), 343 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 202; 1066 A.P.R. 202 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Lucas (J.) (2012), 331 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 158; 1027 A.P.R. 158 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Harati (A.K.M.) (2014), 569 A.R. 56; 606 W.A.C. 56; 2014 ABCA 64, refd to. [para. 64].

R. v. Crocker (B.J.) (1991), 93 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 222; 292 A.P.R. 222 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Beardy (A.J.) (2014), 303 Man.R.(2d) 1; 600 W.A.C. 1; 2014 MBCA 23, refd to. [para. 75].

R. v. Mayers (A.W.) (2011), 310 B.C.A.C. 188; 526 W.A.C. 188; 2011 BCCA 365, refd to. [para. 79].

R. v. Clarke (C.) (2013), 302 O.A.C. 40; 2013 ONCA 7, leave to appeal granted 2014 SCC 28, refd to. [para. 79, footnote 2].

R. v. English (J.) (2012), 328 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 14; 1019 A.P.R. 14 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 80].

R. v. Werth (S.), [2014] O.A.C. Uned. 24; 2014 ONCA 50, refd to. [para. 80].

R. v. Johnson (F.B.) (2013), 553 A.R. 157; 583 W.A.C. 157; 2013 ABCA 190, refd to. [para. 80].

R. v. Paul (B.K.), [2014] A.R. Uned. 26; 2014 ABCA 42, refd to. [para. 82].

R. v. Bradbury (E.T.) (2013), 339 B.C.A.C. 169; 578 W.A.C. 169 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 84].

R. v. Summers (S.) (2013), 304 O.A.C. 322 (C.A.), leave to appeal granted [2013] N.R. TBEd. Motion 337 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 84].

R. v. Carvery (L.A.) (2012), 321 N.S.R.(2d) 321; 1018 A.P.R. 321 (C.A.), leave to appeal granted (2013), 453 N.R. 397 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 84].

R. v. Pearce (N.) (2013), 339 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 281; 1054 A.P.R. 281 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 88].

R. v. Williams (P.V.) (2013), 343 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 1066 A.P.R. 1 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 88].

R. v. Frampton (M.C.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 38; 1078 A.P.R. 38 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 88].

R. v. Pilon (J.D.) (2014), 314 O.A.C. 195; 2014 ONCA 79, refd to. [para. 92].

R. v. Dominaux (J., Jr.) (2014), 347 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 93; 1080 A.P.R. 93; 2014 NLTD(G) 2, refd to. [para. 97].

R. v. Roul (S.P.C.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 167; 1078 A.P.R. 167 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 97].

R. v. Leon (C.W.), [2014] B.C.T.C. Uned. 202; 2014 BCSC 202, refd to. [para. 97].

R. v. Francis (J.J.) (2013), 342 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 337; 1064 A.P.R. 337 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 97].

R. v. Brown, [2013] O.J. No. 5902 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 97].

R. v. Lavers (S.J.) (2010), 303 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 153; 941 A.P.R. 153; 2010 NLCA 73, refd to. [para. 101].

R. v. Cormier (T.J.) (2013), 344 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 188; 1068 A.P.R. 188 (N.L.T.D. (Gen.)), refd to. [para. 101].

R. v. Tulk (K.W.S.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 269; 1078 A.P.R. 269; 2014 NLTD(G) 18, refd to. [para. 101].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Doob, Anthony N., and Webster, Cheryl Marie (2013), 17 Can. Crim. L. Rev. 365, generally [para. 81].

Healy, Patrick, Sentencing from There to Here and from Then to Now (2013), 17 Can. Crim. L. Rev. 291, generally [para. 97].

Counsel:

S. Gallant, for Her Majesty the Queen;

K. Rehner, for Mr. Bennett.

This matter was heard at Stephenville, N.L., on February 18, 2014, by Gorman, P.C.J., of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on February 20, 2014.

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