R. v. Hillier (J.A.), (2015) 370 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 61 (NLPC)

• Judge: Porter, P.C.J.
• Court: Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court (Canada)
• Case Date: August 04, 2015
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (2015), 370 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 61 (NLPC)

R. v. Hillier (J.A.) (2015), 370 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 61 (NLPC);

    1153 A.P.R. 61

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. SE.010

Her Majesty the Queen v. Jamie Aubrey Hillier

(Docket: 0815A00058, 0815A00060, 0815A00061)

Indexed As: R. v. Hillier (J.A.)

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court

Porter, P.C.J.

September 8, 2015.

Summary:

The accused pleaded guilty to careless storage of firearms and ammunition, possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence, possession of narcotics (cocaine, oxycodone and benzodiazepine) for the purpose of trafficking, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, obstruction by running from the police in an attempt to avoid or delay arrest, and breach of recognizance.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court sentenced the accused to a total of 1,395 days' imprisonment (approximately three years and 10 months), less 269 days for time already served (1.5 to 1.0 basis). The court also imposed victim fine surcharges totalling $1,600, a DNA order, and a lifetime firearms prohibition.

Editor's Note: For an earlier decision dismissing the accused's bail application, see (2015), 369 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 75; 1150 A.P.R. 75.

Criminal Law - Topic 5806

Sentencing - General - Co-accused - Sentence parity - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5857 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5830

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - General (incl. step or jump principle and gap principle) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5830.8

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drug and narcotic offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5842

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Previous criminal offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5846.5

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Sentence precedents (incl. starting point principle and sentencing ranges) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.20

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Use or possession of firearms - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5850

Sentence - Trafficking in a narcotic or a controlled drug or substance (incl. possession for the purpose of trafficking) - In March 2015, upon being approached by a police officer who was conducting surveillance pursuant to a drug investigation, Hillier ran away - Police executed a search warrant at Hillier's residence - Drugs (cocaine, oxycodone and benzodiazepine), drug paraphernalia, firearms (four shotguns and a rifle) and ammunition were found - Hillier pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking (three counts), careless storage of firearms and ammunition, possession of firearms and ammunition without a licence, obstruction by running from the police in an attempt to avoid or delay arrest, and breach of recognizance - Hillier had a significant criminal record from Alberta, Newfoundland and France - His most notable prior convictions were for importing narcotics and prohibited goods into France in 1995, for which he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court found that a sentence longer than seven years was not supported by the jurisprudence, even though that might be required to deter Hillier from committing other drug offences - Taking into account Hillier's criminal record, the presence of unsecured firearms and ammunition, and the fact that the drug trafficking operation was taking place in the residence of a child, an appropriate sentence for each drug offence was three years' imprisonment (concurrent) - Hillier was further sentenced to two months for each firearms offence (concurrent to one another but consecutive to the other sentences), one month consecutive for obstruction, and one month consecutive for breach of recognizance - See paragraphs 37 to 73.

Criminal Law - Topic 5857

Sentence - Conspiracy - In August 2014, Hillier arranged for Pittman to sell cocaine (three grams for $300) to an individual who was actually an undercover police officer - In March 2015, Hillier was with his wife when police found her carrying two grams of cocaine - Pittman was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for his role in the August 2014 incident - Hillier's wife was sentenced to 195 days' imprisonment for possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking - Hillier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in cocaine respecting the August 2014 offence - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, applying the parity principle, sentenced Hillier to six months' imprisonment, although he had a much more significant and complicated criminal record than his wife or Pittman - See paragraphs 33 to 36.

Criminal Law - Topic 5871

Sentence - Possession and use or sale of weapons or ammunition - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5877.1

Sentence - Improper or careless storage of firearm - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5888

Sentence - Resisting or obstructing a peace officer - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5892

Sentence - Breach of restraining order, recognizance or undertaking - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Provost (C.J.) (2006), 256 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 205; 773 A.P.R. 205; 2006 NLCA 30, refd to. [para. 2].

R. v. Strickland (A.P.) (2010), 294 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 190; 908 A.P.R. 190; 2010 NLTD 2, refd to. [para. 2].

R. v. Bearns (1989), 77 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 103; 240 A.P.R. 103 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Strickland (J.H.) (2015), 369 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 240; 1150 A.P.R. 240; 2015 NLTD(G) 94, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Payne (K.J.) et al. (2012), 325 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 119; 1009 A.P.R. 119; 2012 NLTD(G) 106, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Stewart (W.J.) (2012), 332 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 1030 A.P.R. 1; 2012 CanLII 78957; 2012 NLTD(G) 187, refd to. [paras. 24, 48].

R. v. Hillier (A.J.) (2015), 363 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 88; 1129 A.P.R. 88; 2015 CanLII 13882 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [paras. 24, 53].

R. v. Dobbin (F.) (2009), 290 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 78; 896 A.P.R. 78; 2009 NLCA 52, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Drake (M.G.) (2012), 320 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 993 A.P.R. 1 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Snow (F.J.) (2006), 252 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 351; 756 A.P.R. 351; 2006 NLTD 3, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Adams (K.) (2014), 349 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 140; 1085 A.P.R. 140 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Woodford (A.) (2013), 335 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 336; 1040 A.P.R. 336 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Crocker (B.J.) (1991), 93 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 222; 292 A.P.R. 222; 1991 CarswellNfld 109; 14 W.C.B.(2d) 502 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Hutchings (R.) (2012), 316 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 211; 982 A.P.R. 211; 2012 NLCA 2, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Summers (S.) (2014), 456 N.R. 1; 316 O.A.C. 349; 2014 SCC 26, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Terry (R.) (2015), 365 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 341; 1138 A.P.R. 341; 2015 NLCA 23, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Al-Amiri (H.) (2015), 368 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 146; 1149 A.P.R. 146; 2015 NLCA 37, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. Maskell (1981), 29 A.R. 107; 1981 ABCA 50, refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Moxley-Peters (L.P.) (2013), 571 A.R. 65; 2013 ABPC 249, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Oates (K.) (1992), 100 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 289; 318 A.P.R. 289, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Knickle (N.A.) (2009), 277 N.S.R.(2d) 392; 882 A.P.R. 392; 2009 NSCA 59, refd to. [para. 49].

R. v. Hunter (A.), [2014] O.A.C. Uned. 98; 2014 ONCA 154, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Kabbouchi, [2010] O.J. No. 1756 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Ahmadzai (M.A.) (2013), 335 B.C.A.C. 22; 573 W.A.C. 22; 2013 BCCA 80, refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Murphy (D.) (2011), 304 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 266; 944 A.P.R. 266; 2011 NLCA 16, refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Boutilier (G.F.) (2006), 257 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 98; 776 A.P.R. 98; 2006 NLTD 30, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Leander Seymour, 2007 CanLII 17364 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 62].

R. v. Porter (N.M.) (2007), 239 B.C.A.C. 19; 396 W.A.C. 19; 2007 BCCA 192, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. D.H. (2012), 317 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 244; 986 A.P.R. 244; 2012 NLCA 5, refd to. [para. 68].

Counsel:

G. Picco, Q.C., for the Federal Crown;

A. Manning, for the Provincial Crown;

R. Piercey, Q.C., for the accused.

This matter was heard on August 4, 2015, before Porter, P.C.J., of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, Judicial District of Grand Bank, who delivered the following judgment on September 8, 2015.