R. v. Nowlan (T.W.), (2007) 319 N.B.R.(2d) 82 (TD)

• Judge: Baird, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: June 18, 2007
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (2007), 319 N.B.R.(2d) 82 (TD)

R. v. Nowlan (T.W.) (2007), 319 N.B.R.(2d) 82 (TD);

    319 R.N.-B.(2e) 82; 823 A.P.R. 82

MLB headnote and full text

Sommaire et texte intégral

[English language version only]

[Version en langue anglaise seulement]

.........................

Temp. Cite: [2007] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.021

Renvoi temp.: [2007] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.021

Thomas W. Nowlan (appellant) v. Her Majesty the Queen (respondent)

(N/M/03/2007)

Indexed As: R. v. Nowlan (T.W.)

Répertorié: R. v. Nowlan (T.W.)

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Miramichi

Baird, J.

July 5, 2007.

Summary:

Résumé:

The accused was found not guilty of impaired driving but guilty of driving while having an excessive blood-alcohol level. The accused appealed the conviction.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, allowed the appeal and set aside the conviction.

Criminal Law - Topic 1374

Offences against person and reputation - Motor vehicles - Impaired driving - Breathalyzer or blood sample - Evidence and certificate evidence (incl. evidence tending to show) - A breathalyzer machine indicated that there was a problem with the ambient air in the room where the accused had provided a breath sample - The breathalyzer technician mistakenly believed that the sample could not be properly analyzed - The accused provided two more samples - The accused was charged with, inter alia, driving while having an excessive blood-alcohol level - The technician was not called at trial - The arresting officer, who was also a qualified breathalyzer technician, testified respecting the circumstances surrounding the taking of the first sample and that it was a proper sample - The results of the first sample were not disclosed - Based on the readings obtained from the second and third samples, the accused was found guilty - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, set aside the conviction - The Crown should have called the technician to testify and the results of the first sample should have been disclosed - The failure to do so raised a reasonable doubt as to whether the first sample was below .08 - That doubt was to be exercised in the accused's favour.

Droit criminel - Cote 1374

Infractions contre la personne et la réputation - Véhicules à moteur - Conduite avec capacité affaiblie - Échantillon d'haleine ou de sang - Preuve et preuve par certificat (y compris preuve tendant à démontrer) - [Voir Criminal Law - Topic 1374 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Dempsey (1979), 24 N.B.R.(2d) 479; 48 A.P.R. 479 (C.A.), dist. [para. 11].

R. v. Godbout (N.) (2006), 297 N.B.R.(2d) 134; 771 A.P.R. 134 (Prov. Ct.), dist. [para. 14].

R. v. Perrier (1984), 5 O.A.C. 304; 15 C.C.C.(3d) 506 (C.A.), dist. [para. 15].

R. v. Lessard, 2004 CarswellQue 1182, dist. [para. 15].

R. v. Dobrowolski (D.) (2005), 200 O.A.C. 64 (C.A.), dist. [para. 17].

R. v. Gilbert (T.) (1994), 74 O.A.C. 56; 92 C.C.C.(3d) 266 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Carter (1985), 7 O.A.C. 344; 19 C.C.C.(3d) 174 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Davis (1973), 14 C.C.C.(2d) 513 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Moreau, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 261; 23 N.R. 541; 42 C.C.C.(2d) 525, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Crosthwait, [1980] 1 S.C.R. 1089; 31 N.R. 603; 25 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 509; 68 A.P.R. 509, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Gallant (D.J.) (2007), 314 N.B.R.(2d) 125; 812 A.P.R. 125; CarswellNB 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Ross (D.E.) (1996), 152 N.S.R.(2d) 62; 442 A.P.R. 62; 108 C.C.C.(3d) 168 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

Counsel:

Avocats:

C. Thomas Prince, for the appellant;

Darlene Blunston, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on June 18, 2007, by Baird, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, Judicial District of Miramichi, who delivered the following decision on July 5, 2007.