R. v. Cameron (C.G.), (2000) 185 N.S.R.(2d) 136 (ProvCt)

• Judge: C.F. MacDonald, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: April 05, 2000
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (2000), 185 N.S.R.(2d) 136 (ProvCt)

R. v. Cameron (C.G.) (2000), 185 N.S.R.(2d) 136 (ProvCt);

 575 A.P.R. 136

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. JN.007

Her Majesty the Queen (informant) v. Carla Gayle Cameron

(accused)

Indexed As: R. v. Cameron (C.G.)

Nova Scotia Provincial Court

C.F. MacDonald, P.C.J.

April 5, 2000.

Summary:

The accused was found guilty of contempt of court because she refused to be sworn in and testify as a witness at a case involving another individual.

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court sen­tenced the accused to 30 days in jail.

Contempt - Topic 3329

Punishment - Sentence - Criminal con­tempt - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5928 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5928

Sentence - Contempt - An accused was found guilty of contempt of court because she refused to be sworn in and testify as a witness in another individual's trial - She gave no reasons why she should not testify - She was a single mother of an 18 month old child and received benefits and Child Tax Credit - No prior record - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court sentenced the accused to 30 days - The accused inten­tionally obstructed the court proceedings and disrupted the progress of the trial - It was essential to the court's operation that witnesses must testify.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. D.B.T. (1996), 147 N.S.R.(2d) 308; 426 A.P.R. 308 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Moore (1986), 30 C.C.C.(3d) 328 (N.W.T. Terr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 8].

Counsel:

Peter Rosinski, for the Crown;

Stephen Robertson, for the accused.

This sentencing was heard at New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, on April 5, 2000, by C.F. Macdonald, P.C.J., of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court, who delivered the follow­ing oral decision on the same date.