R. v. Johal (S.S.), 2015 BCCA 246

JudgeBauman, C.J.B.C., Newbury and Harris, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (British Columbia)
Case DateJune 03, 2015
JurisdictionBritish Columbia
Citations2015 BCCA 246;(2015), 372 B.C.A.C. 306 (CA)

R. v. Johal (S.S.) (2015), 372 B.C.A.C. 306 (CA);

    640 W.A.C. 306

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JN.021

Regina (respondent) v. Sikandar Singh Johal (appellant)

(CA41771; 2015 BCCA 246)

Indexed As: R. v. Johal (S.S.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Bauman, C.J.B.C., Newbury and Harris, JJ.A.

June 3, 2015.

Summary:

The accused was charged with trafficking in cocaine after selling a small amount of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer. After his arrest, he was transported to the police station and strip searched by two different police officers. The accused declined his right to counsel at that time. Noticing what appeared to be white powder around his anus and blood on his shorts, the officers suspected that the accused had hidden drugs in his rectum and were concerned for his health and safety if the bag had burst. The accused was then taken to a hospital for an anal cavity search and an x-ray. He again declined his right to counsel. No drugs were found. The accused applied for a stay of proceedings under s. 24(1) of the Charter on the ground that the strip search and internal search constituted an unreasonable search under s. 8 of the Charter. The trial judge dismissed the application and convicted the accused. The accused appealed, alleging a denial of his s. 8 and s. 10(b) Charter rights. He also argued that the trial judge's reasons were inadequate.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. There was no violation of the accused's Charter rights. In any event, this would not have been an appropriate case to grant a stay of proceedings.

Civil Rights - Topic 1216

Security of the person - Lawful or reasonable search - Strip searches - See paragraphs 25 to 55.

Civil Rights - Topic 1217

Security of the person - Lawful or reasonable search - What constitutes unreasonable search and seizure - See paragraphs 25 to 55.

Civil Rights - Topic 4604

Right to counsel - General - Denial of or interference with - What constitutes - See paragraphs 56 to 57.

Civil Rights - Topic 8374

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Stay of proceedings - See paragraphs 58 to 63.

Police - Topic 3185

Powers - Search - Following arrest or detention - See paragraphs 25 to 55.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Golden (I.V.) (2001), 279 N.R. 1; 153 O.A.C. 201; 2001 SCC 83, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. R.E.M. (2008), 380 N.R. 47; 260 B.C.A.C. 40; 439 W.A.C. 40; 2008 SCC 51, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Sullivan (K.M.) (2013), 333 B.C.A.C. 196; 571 W.A.C. 196; 2013 BCCA 32, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Dersch (W.W.), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 768; 158 N.R. 375; 33 B.C.A.C. 269; 54 W.A.C. 269, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Colarusso, [1994] 1 S.C.R. 20; 162 N.R. 321; 69 O.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Dyment, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 417; 89 N.R. 249; 73 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 13; 229 A.P.R. 13, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Dorfer (F.S.) (1996), 69 B.C.A.C. 197; 113 W.A.C. 197; 104 C.C.C.(3d) 528 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Carpenter (J.D.) (2001), 147 B.C.A.C. 135; 241 W.A.C. 135; 2001 BCCA 31, dist. [para. 43].

R. v. Find (K.), [2001] 1 S.C.R. 863; 269 N.R. 149; 146 O.A.C. 236, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Spidell (A.W.) (1996), 151 N.S.R.(2d) 290; 440 A.P.R. 290; 107 C.C.C.(3d) 348 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 53].

R. v. M.R.B. (1998), 108 B.C.A.C. 85; 176 W.A.C. 85; 51 B.C.L.R.(3d) 158 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Jean, 2011 QCCQ 3697, refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Thomas (D.), [2000] O.T.C. 263 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Taillefer (B.) (2003), 313 N.R. 1; 2003 SCC 70, refd to. [para. 60].

Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Tobiass et al., [1997] 3 S.C.R. 391; 218 N.R. 81, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. O'Connor (H.P.), [1995] 4 S.C.R. 411; 191 N.R. 1; 68 B.C.A.C. 1; 112 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 62].

Counsel:

J.S. Guild, for the appellant;

P. Meneguzzi, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on March 25, 2015, at Vancouver, B.C., before Bauman, C.J.B.C., Newbury and Harris, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

On June 3, 2015, Bauman, C.J.B.C., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.

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7 practice notes
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Archive Detention and Arrest. Second Edition
    • June 22, 2017
    ...187, 194 R v JK, 2010 ONCJ 232 ....................................................................................... 169 R v Johal, 2015 BCCA 246 .................................................................................... 87 R v Johnson (2006), 213 OAC 395, [2006] OJ No 2182 (CA)......
  • Nature of the Interaction Between Police and Individuals
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Archive Detention and Arrest. Second Edition
    • June 22, 2017
    ...for Charter purposes.” 325 320 R v Broyles , [1991] 3 SCR 595 at 608. 321 M(MR) , above note 23 at para 29. See similarly R v Johal , 2015 BCCA 246, where a doctor-performed internal exam on the accused after a strip search incident to arrest turned up white powder around the accused’s rect......
  • When Is a Search Reasonably Conducted?
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Search and Seizure
    • November 18, 2023
    ...47 Ibid at para 30, Prowse JA writing: “I think it is fair to say that the majority of citizens would rather be spared the favour.” 48 2015 BCCA 246. 49 2015 BCCA 417. 50 2022 ONCA 628 Page 310 SEARCH AND SEIZURE 310 Justice Koehnen of the Ontario Superior Court has described the line to be......
  • R. v. Sekhon, 2020 BCSC 2180
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • October 22, 2020
    ...and other prisoners, not on a need to find or preserve evidence. [164]     Second, the Crown relies on R. v. Johal, 2015 BCCA 246. This case is also distinguishable in that the accused was arrested after selling drugs to an undercover officer, but no drugs were subsequen......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
3 cases
  • R. v. Sekhon, 2020 BCSC 2180
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • October 22, 2020
    ...and other prisoners, not on a need to find or preserve evidence. [164]     Second, the Crown relies on R. v. Johal, 2015 BCCA 246. This case is also distinguishable in that the accused was arrested after selling drugs to an undercover officer, but no drugs were subsequen......
  • R. v. Marriott, 2017 BCSC 2425
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • August 16, 2017
    ...ss. 8 and 9 Charter rights.[29]           I turn now to the strip search. In R. v. Johal, 2015 BCCA 246, at para. 25, the court stated the test first articulated in R. v. Golden, 2001 SCC 83, for a strip search in compliance with s. 8 of the Charter. ......
  • R. v. Menzies, 2017 BCSC 377
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • January 30, 2017
    ...in their bodies, and she conducted the search for this reason as well. This was recently held to be reason enough in R. v. Johal, 2015 BCCA 246, and I would draw the same conclusion [30] Golden makes it clear, as well, that different considerations apply when a detainee is going to be lodge......
6 books & journal articles
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Detention and Arrest - Third Edition
    • February 27, 2024
    ...371–72 R v JK, 2010 ONCJ 232 ....................................................................................... 181 R v Johal, 2015 BCCA 246 .................................................................................... 96 R v Johnson (2006), 213 OAC 395, [2006] OJ No 2182 (CA) .......
  • Nature of the Interaction Between Police and Individuals
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Detention and Arrest - Third Edition
    • February 27, 2024
    ...police when he 377 R v Broyles , [1991] 3 SCR 595 at 608 [ Broyles ]. 378 M(MR) , above note 29 at para 29. See, similarly, R v Johal , 2015 BCCA 246, where a doctor-performed internal exam on the accused after a strip search incident to arrest turned up white powder around the accused’s re......
  • Nature of the Interaction Between Police and Individuals
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Archive Detention and Arrest. Second Edition
    • June 22, 2017
    ...for Charter purposes.” 325 320 R v Broyles , [1991] 3 SCR 595 at 608. 321 M(MR) , above note 23 at para 29. See similarly R v Johal , 2015 BCCA 246, where a doctor-performed internal exam on the accused after a strip search incident to arrest turned up white powder around the accused’s rect......
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Archive Detention and Arrest. Second Edition
    • June 22, 2017
    ...187, 194 R v JK, 2010 ONCJ 232 ....................................................................................... 169 R v Johal, 2015 BCCA 246 .................................................................................... 87 R v Johnson (2006), 213 OAC 395, [2006] OJ No 2182 (CA)......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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