R. v. Littlecrow (L.D.), 2011 SKQB 393

• Judge: Gabrielson, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
• Case Date: October 24, 2011
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: 2011 SKQB 393;(2011), 384 Sask.R. 289 (QB)

R. v. Littlecrow (L.D.) (2011), 384 Sask.R. 289 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2011] Sask.R. TBEd. NO.014

Her Majesty the Queen v. Lucille Delores Littlecrow

(2011 N.J. No. 5; 2011 SKQB 393)

Indexed As: R. v. Littlecrow (L.D.)

Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial Centre of Saskatoon

Gabrielson, J.

October 24, 2011.

Summary:

In 2011, the 55 year old aboriginal accused pled guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm. She had four previous drinking and driving convictions in 1987, 1992, 1994 and 1998.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench sentenced the accused to imprisonment for two years less a day and a five year driving prohibition.

Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4

Punishments (sentence) - Conditional sentence - When available or appropriate - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5842

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Previous criminal offences (incl. repeat, dangerous or long-term offenders) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5846.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Aboriginal offenders - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.13

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drinking and driving offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5886.1

Sentence - Impaired driving causing bodily harm - In 2011, the 55 year old aboriginal accused pled guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm - She had four previous drinking and driving convictions in 1987, 1992, 1994 and 1998 - The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench sentenced the accused to imprisonment for two years less a day and a five year driving prohibition - The most significant mitigating factors were the accused's guilty plea and the fact that she was needed by her young grandchildren, for whom she was the legal guardian and caretaker - As impaired driving causing bodily harm was a "serious personal injury offence" within the meaning of s. 752 of the Criminal Code, a conditional sentence was not available - The fact that the accused was aboriginal did not entitle her to a lesser sentence as there was no indication that she had been disadvantaged in any way that was related to the offence - The most serious aggravating circumstances were the accused's high level of blood alcohol (over three times the legal limit) and her previous record - However, due to the application of the "gap principle", the four previous offences did not warrant the more serious sentence here that they would have if they had been more recent - The court noted that the accused had not used alcohol for 10 years, but had "fallen off the wagon" on the night that the offence occurred.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Anaquod (E.G.) (2005), 269 Sask.R. 298; 357 W.A.C. 298; 2005 SKCA 109, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Kleparchuk, 2010 SKCA (SentDig) 19, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Mantee (T.B.) (2005), 275 Sask.R. 114; 365 W.A.C. 114; 2005 SKCA 147, refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Strongquill (L.) (1994), 123 Sask.R. 61; 74 W.A.C. 61 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 9].

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. 10].

R. v. Ballantyne (J.R.) (2006), 285 Sask.R. 214; 378 W.A.C. 214; 2006 SKCA 92, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Langan (C.D.) (2010), 349 Sask.R. 288; 2010 SKPC 3, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Biancofiore (N.F.) (1997), 103 O.A.C. 292; 35 O.R.(3d) 782 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Regnier (R.H.) (2002), 219 Sask.R. 316; 272 W.A.C. 316; 2002 SKCA 82, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Andres (A.J.) (2002), 223 Sask.R. 121; 277 W.A.C. 121; 2002 SKCA 98, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Cappo (F.A.) (2005), 269 Sask.R. 311; 357 W.A.C. 311; 2005 SKCA 134, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Bear (C.C.) (2008), 320 Sask.R. 12; 444 W.A.C. 12; 2008 SKCA 172, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Smith (D.R.) (2009), 324 Sask.R. 142; 451 W.A.C. 142; 2009 SKCA 38, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Crookedneck (V.T.) (2011), 375 Sask.R. 167; 2011 SKCA 89, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Trobert (G.M.) (2000), 190 Sask.R. 115; 1999 SKQB 189, affd. (2000), 199 Sask.R. 224; 232 W.A.C. 224; 2000 SKCA 113, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Decap (J.C.) (2003), 239 Sask.R. 244; 2003 SKQB 450, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Galloway (R.) (2004), 247 Sask.R. 107; 2004 SKQB 130, affd. (2004), 249 Sask.R. 262; 325 W.A.C. 262; 2004 SKCA 106, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Wahobin (R.C.) (2002), 224 Sask.R. 227; 2002 SKPC 53, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Robbie (G.) (2005), 265 Sask.R. 313; 2005 SKPC 72, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Weisgerber (R.) (2009), 340 Sask.R. 298; 2009 SKPC 107, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Biernat, 2009 ONCJ 273, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Kennedy, [1972] 2 W.W.R. 547 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Ruby, Clayton C., Sentencing (7th Ed. 2008), para. 8.83 [para. 21].

Counsel:

Lori J. Chambers, for the Crown;

Timothy J. Rickard, for the accused.

This matter was heard by Gabrielson, J., of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial Centre of Saskatoon, who delivered the following decision orally on October 24, 2011.