R. v. Payne (D.F.), (2015) 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 345 (NLPC)

• Judge: Gorman, P.C.J.
• Court: Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court (Canada)
• Case Date: November 19, 2015
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (2015), 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 345 (NLPC);2015 NLPC 1315

R. v. Payne (D.F.) (2015), 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 345 (NLPC);

    1167 A.P.R. 345

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. DE.029

Her Majesty the Queen v. Donald Freeman Payne

(2015 NLPC 1315A00075)

Indexed As: R. v. Payne (D.F.)

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court

Gorman, P.C.J.

November 27, 2015.

Summary:

After separating from his former spouse, the accused repeatedly called her, failed to comply with undertakings/recognizance prohibiting him from possessing or consuming alcohol, and interfered with his parents' use of their residence while handling a chainsaw, contrary to ss. 430(1)(c), 145(3) (five counts), and 372(3) of the Criminal Code. The accused pleaded guilty. The Crown proceeded summarily.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court sentenced the accused to 60 days' incarceration, to be served on an intermittent basis, and 12 months' probation.

Criminal Law - Topic 5729.1

Punishments (sentence) - Probation or probation order - Length of - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5976 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5803

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court stated that the sentence hearing established that on November 13 and 14, 2014, the accused telephoned his former spouse's residence on 26 occasions - He was arrested and released on an undertaking - This undertaking, and subsequent ones, prohibited him from possessing or consuming alcohol and required that he present himself at his front door when requested by the police - On January 14, March 1, April 28, and June 2, 2015, the accused breached conditions in undertakings and recognizance (dated November 15, 2014, January 18, March 2, and April 30, 2015) prohibiting him from possessing and consuming alcohol - In addition, he failed on April 28, 2015, to present himself at his front door when the police requested that he do so - The accused pleaded guilty to making harassing phone calls, failing to comply with undertakings/recognizance prohibiting him from possessing or consuming alcohol, and interfering with his parents' use of their residence while handling a chainsaw, contrary to ss. 372(3), 145(3) (five counts), and 430(1)(c) and of the Criminal Code - The court held the periods of imprisonment for each of the offences should be served on a consecutive basis, including the two which occurred on April 28, 2015, as they involved different conditions - See paragraph 52.

Criminal Law - Topic 5803

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5976 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5804

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - Reduced total term (totality principle) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5976 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5890

Sentence - Mischief - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5976 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5892

Sentence - Breach of restraining order, recognizance or undertaking - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5976 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5976

Sentence - False messages - Harassing telephone calls - After separating from his former spouse, the accused repeatedly called her (26 times over two days), failed to comply with undertakings/recognizance prohibiting him from possessing or consuming alcohol, and interfered with his parents' use of their residence while handling a chainsaw, contrary to ss. 372(3), 145(3) (five counts), and 430(1)(c) and of the Criminal Code - Pleaded guilty - Three previous convictions for impaired driving, breach of probation and mischief - The Crown proceeded summarily - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court held that appropriate sentences were: (1) 30 days' imprisonment for making harassing telephone calls; (2) 15 days for mischief; and (3) 15 days' imprisonment for each of the breach of undertaking/recognizance offences, all consecutive - However, the court held that the resulting 120 day sentence was unduly long, offending the totality principle - Therefore, the court sentenced the accused to 60 days' incarceration, to be served intermittently, in order to encourage his rehabilitation through access to counselling and by allowing him to maintain his employment - The court also imposed 12 months' probation.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Lundrigan (D.A.) (2012), 324 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 270; 1007 A.P.R. 270; 2012 NLCA 43, refd to. [para. 6].

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. 10].

R. v. Berner (C.-A.) (2013), 337 B.C.A.C. 146; 576 W.A.C. 146; 2013 BCCA 188, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Cluney (N.) (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 57; 1049 A.P.R. 57; 2013 NLCA 46, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Briand (R.) et al. (2010), 302 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 67; 938 A.P.R. 67 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Buckle (G.M.) (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 171; 1049 A.P.R. 171 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. J.B. (2013), 338 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 333; 1049 A.P.R. 333 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Howse (G.) (2015), 370 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 235; 1153 A.P.R. 235 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Oake (B.) (2010), 296 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 79; 915 A.P.R. 79; 2010 NLCA 19, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Murphy (D.) (2011), 304 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 266; 944 A.P.R. 266; 2011 NLCA 16, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Hutchings (R.) (2012), 316 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 211; 982 A.P.R. 211; 2012 NLCA 2, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Drodge (P.J.) (2015), 360 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 262; 1118 A.P.R. 262 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Glasco (J.D.) (2015), 372 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 22; 1158 A.P.R.; 2015 NLTD(G) 133, refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. J.C. (2015), 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 148; 1167 A.P.R. 148 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. O'Keefe, [2006] N.J. No. 290 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Norman, [2011] N.J. No. 214 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 31].

Minot v. Canada (Attorney General) - see R. v. Minot (P.).

R. v. Minot (P.) (2011), 304 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 212; 944 A.P.R. 212; 2011 NLCA 7, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Crockwell (L.) (2013), 333 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 55; 1034 A.P.R. 55 (N.L.T.D. (Gen.)), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Sutherland (B.J.) (2014), 352 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 276; 1097 A.P.R. 276 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Dunphy-Taylor (A.) (2015), 362 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 331; 1125 A.P.R. 331 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Murphy, [2005] N.J. No. 110 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Devereaux, [2007] N.J. No. 4 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Pennell (Q.) (2014), 359 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 211; 1117 A.P.R. 211 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Antle, [2015] N.J. No. 126 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Gill (M.J.) (2015), 374 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 308; 1164 A.P.R. 308 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. McCotter (W.J.) (2014), 349 B.C.A.C. 72; 596 W.A.C. 72; 2014 BCCA 27, refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Rowe (D.) (2008), 273 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 38; 833 A.P.R. 38; 2008 NLCA 3, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. E.W. (2002), 216 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 89; 647 A.P.R. 89; 2002 NFCA 49, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Crocker (B.J.) (1991), 93 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 222; 292 A.P.R. 222 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Lewis (D.E.) (2012), 318 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 64; 989 A.P.R. 64; 2012 NLCA 11, refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Khawaja (M.M.), [2012] 3 S.C.R. 555; 437 N.R. 42; 301 O.A.C. 200; 2012 SCC 69, refd to. [para. 53].

Counsel:

A. Dwyer, for Her Majesty the Queen;

J. McDonald, for Mr. Payne.

This case was heard on November 19, 2015, by Gorman, P.C.J., of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, who delivered the following decision on November 27, 2015.