R. v. Quinn (C.A.), 2015 ABCA 250

• Judge: Watson, Slatter and Bielby, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Alberta)
• Case Date: July 23, 2015
• Citations: 2015 ABCA 250;(2015), 606 A.R. 233

R. v. Quinn (C.A.) (2015), 606 A.R. 233; 652 W.A.C. 233 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] A.R. TBEd. JL.099

Her Majesty the Queen (respondent) v. Curtis Arthur Quinn (appellant)

(1503-0016-A; 2015 ABCA 250)

Indexed As: R. v. Quinn (C.A.)

Alberta Court of Appeal

Watson, Slatter and Bielby, JJ.A.

July 23, 2015.

Summary:

In 2010, the now 44 year old aboriginal accused was convicted of two counts of breaking and entering a dwelling house and assaulting the two sleeping victims (his former girlfriend and her female friend). The girlfriend was punched and kicked multiple times. The friend was punched multiple times as she tried to protect the girlfriend. Both victims initially attempted to recant the accused's involvement in the incident out of fear based on the accused's threats. The trial judge held that appropriate sentences would be consecutive sentences of four and 2.5 years' imprisonment. After a "last look" (totality principle), the trial judge sentenced the accused to a total of five years' imprisonment. The accused appealed against sentence.

The Alberta Court of Appeal, Bielby, J.A., dissenting, dismissed the appeal. Bielby, J.A., would have substituted a global sentence of four years' imprisonment.

Criminal Law - Topic 5804

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - Reduced total term - Totality principle - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5851 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5846.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Aboriginal offenders - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5851 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.23

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Home invasion - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5851 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5851

Sentence - Break and enter - In 2010, the now 44 year old aboriginal accused was convicted of two counts of breaking and entering a dwelling house and assaulting the two sleeping victims (his former girlfriend and her female friend) - The girlfriend was punched and kicked multiple times - The friend was punched multiple times while trying to protect the girlfriend - Both victims initially denied the accused's involvement out of fear based on the accused's threats - The accused was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs - The offences were planned and deliberate - The victims were terrorized - An expert opined that the accused had a methamphetamine-induced psychotic disorder and personality disorders - He was involved in body-building and mixed martial arts - Neither victim suffered injuries serious enough to require hospitalization - The trial judge held that appropriate proportional sentences would be consecutive sentences of four and 2.5 years' imprisonment - There were no mitigating personal circumstances which explained or excused his actions to any material degree - Applying the totality principle, the trial judge sentenced the accused to a total of five years' imprisonment - The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the accused's sentence appeal - The court stated that "Absent a palpable and overriding error of principle or demonstrable unfitness, [the trial judge's] conclusion is entitled to deference." - There was no error in giving limited weight to the Gladue factors in the accused's personal circumstances - See paragraphs 12 to 27.

Criminal Law - Topic 5861

Sentence - Assault - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5851 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Matwiy (S.B.) and Langston (J.D.) (1996), 178 A.R. 356; 110 W.A.C. 356; 105 C.C.C.(3d) 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. C.A.M., [1996] 1 S.C.R. 500; 194 N.R. 321; 73 B.C.A.C. 81; 120 W.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. L.M., [2008] 2 S.C.R. 163; 374 N.R. 351; 2008 SCC 31, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. B.S.M. (2011), 502 A.R. 253; 517 W.A.C. 253; 2011 ABCA 105, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Gladue (J.T.), [1999] 1 S.C.R. 688; 238 N.R. 1; 121 B.C.A.C. 161; 198 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Ipeelee (M.), [2012] 1 S.C.R. 433; 428 N.R. 1; 288 O.A.C. 224; 318 B.C.A.C. 1; 541 W.A.C. 1; 2012 SCC 13, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Gladue (J.A.J.) (2012), 522 A.R. 254; 544 W.A.C. 254; 2012 ABCA 118, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Sharphead (G.B.) (2004), 357 A.R. 248; 334 W.A.C. 248; 2004 ABCA 338, refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Koopman (R.) (1999), 244 A.R. 109; 209 W.A.C. 109; 1999 ABCA 269, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Courtorielle (S.D.), [2013] A.R. Uned. 333; 2013 ABCA 317, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. P.B.H. (2006), 401 A.R. 109; 391 W.A.C. 109; 2006 ABCA 374, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Deforest (B.) (2014), 438 Sask.R. 25; 608 W.A.C. 25; 2014 SKCA 43, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Debigare (J.C.) (2014), 433 Sask.R. 8; 602 W.A.C. 8; 2014 SKCA 2, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Campeau (D.J.) et al. (2009), 320 Sask.R. 132; 444 W.A.C. 132; 245 C.C.C.(3d) 258; 2009 SKCA 3, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Payne (D.M.) (2007), 293 Sask.R. 31; 397 W.A.C. 31; 2007 SKCA 28, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Janvier (G.) (2011), 377 Sask.R. 129; 528 W.A.C. 129; 2011 SKCA 133, refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Goulette (L.F.) (2009), 350 N.B.R.(2d) 152; 903 A.P.R. 152; 2009 NBCA 49, refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. McCowan (K.J.) (2010), 251 Man.R.(2d) 295; 478 W.A.C. 295; 2010 MBCA 45, refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Pakoo (K.G.) (2004), 190 Man.R.(2d) 133; 335 W.A.C. 133; 198 C.C.C.(3d) 122; 2004 MBCA 157, refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Evans (K.A.) (1997), 196 A.R. 207; 141 W.A.C. 207; 1997 ABCA 165, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. Popowich (M.J.) (2013), 544 A.R. 312; 567 W.A.C. 312; 2013 ABCA 149, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. Bauer (D.), [2013] O.A.C. Uned. 569; 119 O.R.(3d) 11; 2013 ONCA 691, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Charlie (F.J.) (2015), 366 B.C.A.C. 254; 629 W.A.C. 254; 2015 YKCA 3, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Quash, 2009 YKTC 54, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Ramsay (D.L.) (2012), 536 A.R. 174; 559 W.A.C. 174; 2012 ABCA 257, refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Ramalho (J.M.) (2004), 206 B.C.A.C. 213; 338 W.A.C. 213; 2004 BCCA 617, refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Nasogaluak (L.M.), [2010] 1 S.C.R. 206; 398 N.R. 107; 474 A.R. 88; 479 W.A.C. 88; 2010 SCC 6, refd to. [para. 55].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Forbes-Chilibeck, Ella M., The Sentencing of Offenders With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2003), 11 Health L.J. 35, pp. 39 to 41 [para. 48].

Milward, David, The Sentencing of Aboriginal Accused with FASD: A Search for Different Pathways (2014), 47 U.B.C.L. Rev. 1025, pp. 1029, 1046, 1070, 1075 [para. 48].

Roach, Kent, Blaming the Victim: Canadian Law, Causation and Residential Schools (2014), 64: 4 U.T.L.J. 566, pp. 584 to 593 [para. 49].

Counsel:

K.A. Joyce, for the respondent;

A. Attia and K.E. Clackson, for the appellant.

This appeal was heard on June 17, 2015, at Edmonton, Alberta, before Watson, Slatter and Bielby, JJ.A., of the Alberta Court of Appeal.

On July 23, 2015, the following memorandum of judgment was filed, including the following opinions:

Watson and Slatter, JJ.A. - see paragraphs 1 to 27;

Bielby, J.A., dissenting - see paragraphs 28 to 57.