R. v. Billard (A.A.), 2011 NSPC 31

• Judge: Derrick, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: June 03, 2011
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: 2011 NSPC 31;(2011), 304 N.S.R.(2d) 265 (PC)

R. v. Billard (A.A.) (2011), 304 N.S.R.(2d) 265 (PC);

    960 A.P.R. 265

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2011] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. JN.032

Her Majesty The Queen v. Archie Albert Billard

(2275754, 2275756, 2275761; 2011 NSPC 31)

Indexed As: R. v. Billard (A.A.)

Nova Scotia Provincial Court

Derrick, P.C.J.

June 10, 2011.

Summary:

The 22 year old accused pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, possession of a prohibited weapon (knife) and breach of probation.

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court sentenced the accused to nine months' imprisonment for driving while disqualified, four months' imprisonment (concurrent) for breach of probation and one month's imprisonment (concurrent) for possession of a prohibited weapon. The court imposed a further one year driving prohibition, consecutive to the current prohibition the accused was subject to.

Criminal Law - Topic 5798

Punishments (sentence) - Prohibition orders - Respecting driving of motor vehicle - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5832

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Rehabilitation - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5841

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Age of accused - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5842

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Previous criminal offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Denunciation or repudiation of conduct - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5871

Sentence - Possession and use or sale of weapons or ammunition - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5885

Sentence - Driving while disqualified or suspended - Since the age of 14, the now 22 year old accused stole cars and engaged in high-risk police chases - He was an impulsive thrill seeker - At the age of 16, the accused engaged police in a high speed chase that resulted in the death of another motorist - The accused was sentenced as an adult in January 2006 to 5.5 years' imprisonment and a 10 year driving prohibition - He was released in June 2009 and caught driving in October 2009 - He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment plus probation - In January 2011, the accused was again caught driving - He was moving a friend's vehicle in a parking garage at the friend's request - He was also in possession of a flip-knife - The accused pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, possession of a prohibited weapon and breach of probation - As a youth, the accused enjoyed the empowerment and control of impulsively stealing and driving vehicles - There was evidence that the accused had matured and was developing more self-control - Although he was a repeat offender, this was the first sentence imposed on the accused as an adult - The accused expressed remorse and took full responsibility, something that he had never done in the past - Unlike the previous offences, he did not steal a car and there was no reason to doubt that he intended only to move the vehicle down several levels (i.e., not repeating his previously spiralling out of control behaviour) - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court held that while denunciation and deterrence were important, restraint and rehabilitation also had to be factored in given the accused's age, the greater level of maturity, etc. - The court sentenced the accused to nine months' imprisonment for driving while disqualified, four months' imprisonment (concurrent) for breach of probation and one month's imprisonment (concurrent) for possession of a prohibited weapon, less 209 days' credit for 139 days' pre-trial custody (1.5 to 1 credit), leaving two months and three days to be served - The court imposed a further one year driving prohibition, consecutive to the order he was currently subject to.

Criminal Law - Topic 5898

Sentence - Breach of probation - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5885 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Johnson, [2011] O.J. No. 822 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Dann (A.C.A.), [2011] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 84 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Shropshire (M.T.), [1995] 4 S.C.R. 227; 188 N.R. 284; 65 B.C.A.C. 37; 106 W.A.C. 37, refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. C.A.M. (1996), 194 N.R. 321; 73 B.C.A.C. 81; 120 W.A.C. 81 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. Nasogaluak (L.M.), [2010] 1 S.C.R. 206; 398 N.R. 107; 474 A.R. 88; 479 W.A.C. 88, refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. Naugle (T.L.) (2011), 302 N.S.R.(2d) 68; 955 A.P.R. 68; 2011 NSCA 33, refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. J.L.M.A. (2010), 499 A.R. 1; 514 W.A.C. 1; 2010 ABCA 363, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Yazlovasky (A.D.) (2004), 357 A.R. 334; 334 W.A.C. 334 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 57].

R. v. Taylor (A.) (2008), 250 B.C.A.C. 317; 416 W.A.C. 317 (Yuk. C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Bear (L.E.) (1994), 120 Sask.R. 294; 68 W.A.C. 294 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. A.A.B. (2006), 241 N.S.R.(2d) 108; 767 A.P.R. 108 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 64].

R. v. Quesnel and Smith (1984), 4 O.A.C. 393 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Parker (R.D.R.) (1997), 159 N.S.R.(2d) 166; 468 A.P.R. 166 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 74].

R. v. Brake, [2005] N.J. No. 78 (Nlfd. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Britten (B.M.), [2004] B.C.T.C. 678 (S.C.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Budge (B.K.) (2001), 154 B.C.A.C. 176; 252 W.A.C. 176 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Butt, [2004] N.J. No. 305 (Nfld. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Cooper, 2008 CarswellOnt 7388 (C.J.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Curtis (L.W.) (2009), 283 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 244; 873 A.P.R. 244 (N.L.T.D.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Demas (E.M.) (2006), 401 A.R. 47; 391 W.A.C. 47 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Desjarlais (D.) (1998), 126 Man.R.(2d) 236; 167 W.A.C. 236 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Drake (O.F.) (2010), 297 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 225; 918 A.P.R. 225 (N.L.T.D.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Hindmarch (D.L.), [2010] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1257 (S.C.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Hirtle (K.L.) (2008), 446 A.R. 165; 442 W.A.C. 165 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Hogg (P.E.) (2009), 470 A.R. 269 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Kakakaway (A.) (1998), 168 Sask.R. 306; 173 W.A.C. 306 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Kakakaway (C.J.) (2006), 279 Sask.R. 159; 372 W.A.C. 159 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Kelly, [2008] O.J. No. 1810 (C.J.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Longul (R.L.) (2004), 205 B.C.A.C. 29; 337 W.A.C. 29 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Maloney (D.E.) (2006), 233 B.C.A.C. 48; 386 W.A.C. 48 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Mantee (T.B.) (2005), 275 Sask.R. 114; 365 W.A.C. 114 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Melanson (K.P.) (2009), 347 N.B.R.(2d) 201; 894 A.P.R. 201 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Nowlan (R.L.), [2002] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 63 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Pilgrim (J.D.) (2009), 277 B.C.A.C. 11; 469 W.A.C. 11 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Riley (E.W.) (1996), 148 N.S.R.(2d) 346; 429 A.P.R. 346 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Sandfly (G.) (2010), 355 Sask.R. 130 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Snake, [2010] O.J. No. 5445 (C.J.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Waite (H.G.) (2004), 284 N.B.R.(2d) 215; 742 A.P.R. 215 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [Appendix A].

R. v. Whitesell (G.R.), [2010] B.C.T.C. Uned. 778 (S.C.), refd to. [Appendix A].

Counsel:

Rick Miller, for the Crown;

Nicole Campbell, for the accused.

This matter was heard on June 3, 2011, at Halifax, N.S., before Derrick, P.C.J., of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on June 10, 2011.