R. v. Lenihan (O.E.), (1996) 152 N.S.R.(2d) 264 (ProvCt)

• Judge: MacLellan, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: April 24, 1996
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1996), 152 N.S.R.(2d) 264 (ProvCt)

R. v. Lenihan (O.E.) (1996), 152 N.S.R.(2d) 264 (ProvCt);

    442 A.P.R. 264

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty The Queen v. Otis Edward Lenihan

(No. 578704)

Indexed As: R. v. Lenihan (O.E.)

Nova Scotia Provincial Court

MacLellan, P.C.J.

June 18, 1996.

Summary:

A peace officer appointed to monitor Nova Scotia's highways for overweight vehicles had reason to believe, on visual inspection, that the accused's truck load exceeded the maximums permitted under the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. The officer stopped the accused, ordered him to proceed to his portable scales, and weighed the truck. The truck exceeded the maximum permitted under the regulations and the accused was charged accordingly. At no time did the officer advise the accused that he had the right to obtain and instruct counsel without delay. The accused sought to exclude the evidence obtained by the officer, arguing that it was obtained contrary to the Charter, s. 10(b).

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court dis­missed the application.

Civil Rights - Topic 3604

Detention and imprisonment - Detention - What constitutes - The Nova Scotia Prov­incial Court reviewed the criteria to be used in determining whether there had been a detention within the meaning of s. 10(b) of the Charter - See paragraphs 5 and 6.

Civil Rights - Topic 4602

Right to counsel - Denial of - Evidence taken inadmissible - [See Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 4613

Right to counsel - Requirement of arrest or detention and notice of reasons for - [See Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8368

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Exclusion of evidence - [See Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8550

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - Particular phrases - Bring the administration of justice into disrepute - [See Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214 ].

Motor Vehicles - Topic 3206

Regulation of vehicles and traffic - Vehicles - Excess weight - Demand that vehicle be weighed - [See Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214 ].

Motor Vehicles - Topic 3214

Regulation of vehicles and traffic - Vehicles - Excess weight - Defences - Believing that the accused's truck load exceeded the maximums permitted under the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations, a peace officer stopped the accused, ordered him to proceed to his portable scales, and weighed the truck - The truck exceeded the maximum permitted under the regula­tions - The accused was charged accord­ingly - The accused sought to exclude evidence collected by the officer, arguing that it was obtained contrary to the Char­ter, s. 10(b) - Particularly, the accused asserted that the officer detained him and failed to advise him of his right to obtain and instruct counsel without delay - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court agreed that the accused was detained, was not advised of his right to counsel, and that the evi­dence obtained was as a result of the infringement - However, the court refused to exclude the evidence where its admis­sion would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Thomsen, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 640; 84 N.R. 347; 27 O.A.C. 85; 63 C.R.(3d) 1; 40 C.C.C.(3d) 411; 4 M.V.R.(2d) 185; 32 C.R.R. 257, refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Therens, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 613; 59 N.R. 122; 40 Sask.R. 122; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 655; [1985] 4 W.W.R. 286; 32 M.V.R. 153; 45 C.R.(3d) 97; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 481, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Strachan, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 980; 90 N.R. 273; 46 C.C.C.(3d) 479; 67 C.R.(3d) 87; 56 D.L.R.(4th) 673; 37 C.R.R. 335; [1989] 1 W.W.R. 385, consd. [para. 10].

R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265; 74 N.R. 276; 56 C.R.(3d) 193; [1987] 3 W.W.R. 699; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 508; 33 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 28 C.R.R. 122; 13 B.C.L.R.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Jacoy, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 548; 89 N.R. 61; 45 C.C.C.(3d) 46, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Colarusso, [1994] 1 S.C.R. 20; 162 N.R. 321; 69 O.A.C. 81; 87 C.C.C.(3d) 193, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Leclair and Ross, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 3; 91 N.R. 81; 31 O.A.C. 321; 46 C.C.C.(3d) 129; 67 C.R.(3d) 209; 37 C.R.R. 369, refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Burlingham (T.W.), [1995] 2 S.C.R. 206; 181 N.R. 1; 58 B.C.A.C. 161; 96 W.A.C. 161; 97 C.C.C.(3d) 385, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Gray (H.W.) (1987), 67 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 141; 206 A.P.R. 141 (P.E.I.S.C.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Genest, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 59; 91 N.R. 161; 19 Q.A.C. 163; 45 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 67 C.R.(3d) 224; 37 C.R.R. 252, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Kokesch, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 3; 121 N.R. 161; 61 C.C.C.(3d) 207; 1 C.R.(4th) 62; [1991] 1 W.W.R. 193; 51 B.C.L.R.(2d) 157; 50 C.R.R. 285, refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Bailey (1988), 87 N.S.R.(2d) 245; 222 A.P.R. 245 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Sanelli, Duarte and Fasciano, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 30; 103 N.R. 86; 37 O.A.C. 322; 53 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 65 D.L.R.(4th) 240; 71 O.R.(2d) 575; 74 C.R.(3d) 281; 45 C.R.R. 278, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Brick (1989), 98 A.R. 208; 17 M.V.R.(2d) 82 (Q.B.), affd. (1989), 19 M.V.R.(2d) 158 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527; 133 N.R. 161; 51 O.A.C. 351; 70 C.C.C.(3d) 193; 11 C.R.(4th) 253, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Tesfai (E.) (1995), 148 N.S.R.(2d) 93; 429 A.P.R. 93 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 30].

Statutes Noticed:

Motor Vehicle Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 293, sect. 192(4) [para. 5].

Counsel:

Darrell I. Carmichael, for the prosecution;

Geoffrey P. Muttart, for the defence.

This application was heard on April 24, 1996, at Kentville, Nova Scotia, before Mac­Lellan, P.C.J., of the Nova Scotia Prov­incial Court, who delivered the following decision on June 18, 1996.