R. v. Gibson (R.J.), 2015 ABCA 41

• Judge: Fraser, C.J.A., Martin and Rowbotham, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Alberta)
• Case Date: October 21, 2014
• Citations: 2015 ABCA 41;(2015), 593 A.R. 380

R. v. Gibson (R.J.) (2015), 593 A.R. 380; 637 W.A.C. 380 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] A.R. TBEd. FE.004

Her Majesty the Queen (respondent) v. Ryan Jordan Gibson (appellant)

(1401-0106-A; 2015 ABCA 41)

Indexed As: R. v. Gibson (R.J.)

Alberta Court of Appeal

Fraser, C.J.A., Martin and Rowbotham, JJ.A.

January 28, 2015.

Summary:

The accused pleaded guilty to one count of impaired driving causing death and one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm. The sentencing judge declined a joint submission of two years' imprisonment and instead imposed a sentence of two years and eight months' imprisonment. The accused appealed the sentence.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Criminal Law - Topic 5801.1

Sentencing - General - Proportionality - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5846.5

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Sentence precedents (incl. starting point principle and sentencing ranges) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5813

Sentencing - Sentencing procedure and rights of the accused - Plea bargain or joint submission - Effect of - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.13

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drinking and driving offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1

Sentence - Impaired driving causing death - While his blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit, Gibson drove his vehicle on the wrong side of the road at speeds of 105 km/h - He side-swiped one oncoming vehicle, forcing it into the ditch - He struck a second oncoming vehicle, forcing it into the ditch where it rolled several times - An occupant of the second vehicle sustained injuries from which she subsequently recovered - Gibson collided head-on with a third vehicle - The 17 year old driver of the third vehicle died at the scene - Gibson pled guilty to impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm - He was 22 years old and had no prior criminal record - The sentencing judge declined a joint submission of two years' imprisonment and instead imposed a sentence of two years and eight months' imprisonment - The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Gibson's appeal - The joint submission was based on counsels' mistaken belief that the range of sentence for impaired driving causing death was between two and four years - A two year sentence for Gibson would be disproportionate and profoundly unfit given his driving pattern and degree of blameworthiness - The sentencing judge was therefore not bound by the joint submission - Although the court found that a sentence of no less than four years would be fit in this case, it declined to vary the sentence imposed by the sentencing judge given that the Crown did not give notice of an intention to seek an increase.

Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1

Sentence - Impaired driving causing bodily harm - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 6204

Sentencing - Appeals - Variation of sentence - Grounds for refusing to vary sentence - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5864.1 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Shular (R.) (2014), 577 A.R. 294; 613 W.A.C. 294; 2014 ABCA 241, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Bullock (S.S.) (2013), 542 A.R. 280; 566 W.A.C. 280; 2013 ABCA 44, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. G.W.C. (2000), 277 A.R. 20; 242 W.A.C. 20; 2000 ABCA 333, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Tkachuk (E.A.) (2001), 293 A.R. 171; 257 W.A.C. 171; 2001 ABCA 243, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Magas (D.L.) (2012), 524 A.R. 98; 545 W.A.C. 98; 2012 ABCA 61, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Stimson (K.A.) (2011), 499 A.R. 185; 514 W.A.C. 185; 2011 ABCA 59, dist. [para. 12].

R. v. Berner (C.-A.) (2013), 337 B.C.A.C. 146; 576 W.A.C. 146; 2013 BCCA 188, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Ruizfuentes (H.S.) (2010), 258 Man.R.(2d) 220; 499 W.A.C. 220; 2010 MBCA 90, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Lacasse, 2014 QCCA 1061, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. J.L.M.A. (2010), 499 A.R. 1; 514 W.A.C. 1; 2010 ABCA 363, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. K.D.D. (2014), 442 Sask.R. 209; 616 W.A.C. 209; 2014 SKCA 93, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Simcoe (B.S.) (2002), 156 O.A.C. 190 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Nasogaluak (L.M.), [2010] 1 S.C.R. 206; 398 N.R. 107; 474 A.R. 88; 479 W.A.C. 88; 2010 SCC 6, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Hood (S.V.) (2011), 505 A.R. 243; 522 W.A.C. 243; 2011 ABCA 169, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Rode (B.J.) et al. (2007), 422 A.R. 95; 415 W.A.C. 95; 2007 ABCA 393, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Randhile (S.R.) and Larocque (D.B.) (1997), 209 A.R. 209; 160 W.A.C. 209; 121 C.C.C.(3d) 565 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Anderson (F.) (2014), 458 N.R. 1; 350 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 289; 1088 A.P.R. 289; 311 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 2014 SCC 41, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Smoke (D.D.) (2014), 310 Man.R.(2d) 123; 618 W.A.C. 123; 2014 CarswellMan 591; 2014 MBCA 91, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Junkert (M.) (2010), 267 O.A.C. 7; 103 O.R.(3d) 284; 2010 ONCA 549, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Page (D.J.) (2003), 330 A.R. 192; 299 W.A.C. 192; 2003 ABCA 212, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Hill (No. 2), [1977] 1 S.C.R. 827; 7 N.R. 373; 25 C.C.C.(2d) 6, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Patton (D.R.) (2011), 505 A.R. 394; 522 W.A.C. 394; 2011 ABCA 199, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Edmonds (P.B.) (2012), 539 A.R. 110; 561 W.A.C. 110; 2012 ABCA 340, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Holloway (P.S.) (2014), 572 A.R. 121; 609 W.A.C. 121; 308 C.C.C.(3d) 145; 2014 ABCA 87, refd to. [para. 27].

Counsel:

B.R. Graff, for the respondent;

A. Hepner, Q.C., for the appellant.

This appeal was heard on October 21, 2014, before Fraser, C.J.A., Martin and Rowbotham, JJ.A., of the Alberta Court of Appeal. The following memorandum of judgment of the court was filed at Calgary, Alberta, on January 28, 2015.