R. v. C.B.H., (2008) 330 N.B.R.(2d) 152 (PC)

• Judge: Sivret, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: March 13, 2008
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (2008), 330 N.B.R.(2d) 152 (PC);2008 NBPC 14

R. v. C.B.H. (2008), 330 N.B.R.(2d) 152 (PC);

    330 R.N.-B.(2e) 152; 845 A.P.R. 152

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Temp. Cite: [2008] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. MR.055

Renvoi temp.: [2008] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. MR.055

Her Majesty the Queen v. C.B.H.

(03281107; 2008 NBPC 14; 2008 NBCP 14)

Indexed As: R. v. C.B.H.

Répertorié: R. v. C.B.H.

New Brunswick Provincial Court

Sivret, P.C.J.

March 26, 2008.

Summary:

Résumé:

The accused was charged with sexually assaulting a four year old child.

The New Brunswick Provincial Court, in a decision reported at 326 N.B.R.(2d) 233; 838 A.P.R. 233, convicted the accused of assault and sexual assault.

The New Brunswick Provincial Court held that the proper sentence was a term of imprisonment of seven years on the count of sexual assault and one year on the count of assault to be served concurrently. After deducting the time that the accused had spent in presentencing custody, the court sentenced the accused to imprisonment for six years and eight months.

Editor's note: certain names in the following case have been initialized or the case otherwise edited to prevent the disclosure of identities where required by law, publication ban, Maritime Law Book's editorial policy or otherwise.

Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Offences involving breach of trust - The 28 year old accused was convicted of assault and sexual assault of a four year old child - The assaults occurred during a three month period when the accused was cohabiting with the victim's mother and was acting as the victim's caregiver - The New Brunswick Provincial Court sentenced the accused to imprisonment for seven years for sexual assault and one year for assault to be served concurrently - Deducting time spent in presentencing custody left a sentence to be served of six years and eight months - Denunciation and general deterrence were paramount considerations - The victim's young age and the accused's abuse of his position of trust were serious aggravating circumstances - Other aggravating circumstances included the age difference between the victim and the accused, the accused's prior criminal record with violent offences, his limited remorse, the offences' gravity, long term harm caused to the victim and the accused's threat of reprisals - These factors outweighed the mitigating circumstances of the accused's age, difficult childhood and employability - The accused's actions were an "outrageous breach of trust" - The court rejected counsels' agreed range of three to five years of imprisonment - Although the offences were extremely serious and the accused's blameworthiness was high, the circumstances did not warrant the maximum sentence of ten years - See paragraphs 27 to 56.

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.9

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Sexual offences against children (incl. child pornography) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5861

Sentence - Assault (incl. common assault) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5932

Sentence - Sexual assault (incl. by multiple parties) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1 ].

Droit criminel - Cote 5831.1

Détermination de la peine - Facteurs considérés lors de l'infliction de la peine - Infractions concernant l'abus de confiance - [Voir Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1 ].

Droit criminel - Cote 5848.9

Détermination de la peine - Facteurs considérés lors de l'infliction de la peine - Infractions sexuelles contre des enfants (y compris la pornagraphie infantile) - [Voir Criminal Law - Topic 5848.9 ].

Droit criminel - Cote 5861

Peine - Voies de fait (y compris les voies de fait simples) - [Voir Criminal Law - Topic 5861 ].

Droit criminel - Cote 5932

Peine - Agression sexuelle (y compris par de multiples participants) - [Voir Criminal Law - Topic 5932 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. D.M. (1999), 121 O.A.C. 322 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. T.D. (1987), 79 N.B.R.(2d) 131; 201 A.P.R. 131 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Herritt (1984), 63 N.S.R.(2d) 51; 141 A.P.R. 51 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. V.N. (1993), 109 Sask.R. 127; 42 W.A.C. 127 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Greene (1985), 60 N.B.R.(2d) 86; 157 A.P.R. 86 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. R.A.F., [2001] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 24 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Murray (C.R.), [2000] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 37 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. H.D.C. (1998), 206 N.B.R.(2d) 87; 526 A.P.R. 87 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Briggs (D.) (1996), 181 N.B.R.(2d) 30; 460 A.P.R. 30 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. G.W.S. (1988), 88 N.B.R.(2d) 177; 224 A.P.R. 177 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Irwin (1979), 16 A.R. 566; 48 C.C.C.(2d) 423 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. A.B.C. (1991), 120 A.R. 106; 8 W.A.C. 106 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. W.B.S.; R. v. M.P. (1992), 127 A.R. 65; 20 W.A.C. 65; 73 C.C.C.(3d) 530; 1992 CanLII 2761 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Ross (1985), 61 N.B.R.(2d) 65; 158 A.P.R. 65 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Fairn (1973), 12 C.C.C.(2d) 423 (N.S. Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. G.B. (2005), 288 N.B.R.(2d) 82; 751 A.P.R. 82; 2005 NBCA 72, refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. D.R., H.R. and D.W. (1996), 197 N.R. 321; 144 Sask.R. 81; 124 W.A.C. 81; 1996 CanLII 207 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Cheddesingh (D.M.) (2004), 319 N.R. 94; 186 O.A.C. 184, 2004 SCC 16, refd to. [para. 49].

R. v. W.C.T. (2005), 301 N.B.R.(2d) 275; 783 A.P.R. 275; 2006 NBPC 14, refd to. [para. 52].

Counsel:

Avocats:

Hilary Drain and Louise Ring, for Her Majesty the Queen;

Richard Cove, for C.B.H.

This matter was heard on March 13, 2008, by Sivret, P.C.J., of the New Brunswick Provincial Court, who delivered the following decision on March 26, 2008.