R. v. Kelly (S.), (2015) 364 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 202 (NLPC)

• Judge: Gorman, P.C.J.
• Court: Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court (Canada)
• Case Date: April 02, 2015
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (2015), 364 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 202 (NLPC);2015 NLPC 1313

R. v. Kelly (S.) (2015), 364 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 202 (NLPC);

    1136 A.P.R. 202

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. AP.001

Her Majesty the Queen v. Sean Kelly

(2015 NLPC 1313A0227)

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

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court

Gorman, P.C.J.

April 6, 2015.

Summary:

The accused, a police officer, was charged with making an indecent telephone call (Criminal Code, s. 372(2)), and making a false statement to the police (public mischief) (s. 140(1)(b)). The essence of the allegations was that the accused made an indecent telephone call to a young woman at her place of employment and subsequently misled the police by making a false statement implicating another person.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, in a decision reported at [2015] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. Uned. 13, found the accused guilty.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court sentenced the accused to four months' imprisonment for making an indecent telephone call, and six months consecutive for making a false statement to the police, followed by 12 months' probation.

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.

Editor's Note: For related decisions in this matter see (2015), 360 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 91; 1118 A.P.R. 91, (2015), 360 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 145; 1118 A.P.R. 145, and (2015), 360 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 165; 1118 A.P.R. 165.

Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4

Punishments (sentence) - Conditional sentence - When available or appropriate - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5924 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Offences involving breach of trust - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5924 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Position of public trust of accused - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5924 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5924

Sentence - Public mischief - Kelly, an on-duty police officer, used his police-issued cell phone to call a young woman (AH) at her place of employment - Kelly made reference to sexual acts, indicated that he knew what AH was wearing, and that she was alone - During a subsequent investigation which linked Kelly's phone to the call, Kelly lied to three police officers and provided a detailed written statement in which he falsely blamed X for committing the offence - Kelly had been grooming X as a possible police informant - X became a suspect and was investigated - Kelly was found guilty of making an indecent telephone call and making a false statement to the police (public mischief) - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court sentenced Kelly to four months' imprisonment for making an indecent telephone call and six months consecutive for making a false statement, followed by 12 months' probation - Both offences constituted a massive breach of the public trust placed in Kelly as a police officer - His false statement contravened his general duty to uphold the law in the worst possible manner - A conditional sentence would not reflect Kelly's moral blameworthiness, his responsibility for the offences, or the breach of public trust - If the Crown had proceeded by indictment rather than by way of summary conviction, the court would have imposed a sentence of 20 months' imprisonment.

Criminal Law - Topic 5976

Sentence - False message to injure or alarm - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5924 ].

Cases Noticed:

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R. v. A.B.C., [2015] EWCA Crim 539, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Reddy, [2007] B.C.J. No. 2797 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Messer (C.R.) (2012), 395 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 1023 A.P.R. 1; 2012 NBQB 327, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Perreault (S.), 2010 BCPC 260, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Whitney (K.V.), 2015 BCPC 27, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Rudge (F.D.), [2014] O.T.C. Uned. 241; 2014 ONSC 241, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Kelly (J.G.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 341; 1078 A.P.R. 341; 2014 NLCA 9, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Knott (D.W.) (2012), 433 N.R. 38; 324 B.C.A.C. 1; 551 W.A.C. 1; 2012 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Berner (C.-A.) (2013), 337 B.C.A.C. 146; 576 W.A.C. 146; 2013 BCCA 188, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Cluney (N.) (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 57; 1049 A.P.R. 57; 2013 NLCA 46, refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Edmunds (M.) (2012), 322 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 337; 1000 A.P.R. 337; 2012 NLCA 26, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Carrigan (W.P.) (2009), 291 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 231; 898 A.P.R. 231 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Dosanjh (R.S.), 2006 BCPC 574, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Webster (J.) (2014), 357 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 312; 1109 A.P.R. 312; 2014 NLTD(G) 135, refd to. [para. 30].

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R. v. LeBlanc (G.A.) (2003), 264 N.B.R.(2d) 341; 691 A.P.R. 341; 2003 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 72].

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R. v. Proulx (J.K.D.), [2000] 1 S.C.R. 61; 249 N.R. 201; 142 Man.R.(2d) 161; 212 W.A.C. 161; 2000 SCC 5, refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. C.G.O. (2012), 318 B.C.A.C. 273; 541 W.A.C. 273; 2012 BCCA 129, refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. Taylor (E.) (2012), 317 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 330; 986 A.P.R. 330; 2012 NLTD(G) 9, refd to. [para. 94].

R. v. Rudd, [2015] NTCCA 3, refd to. [para. 94].

Connolly v. R., [2010] NZCA 129, refd to. [para. 95].

R. v. Ngoc Anh, [2004] NSWCCA 332, refd to. [para. 98].

Counsel:

V. Khaladkar, for Her Majesty the Queen;

J. Merrigan, for Mr. Kelly.

This matter was heard at Corner Brook, N.L., on April 2, 2015, before Gorman, P.C.J., of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on April 6, 2015.