R. v. Roche, (1985) 9 O.A.C. 391 (CA)

JudgeBrooke, Goodman and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (Ontario)
Case DateDecember 20, 1984
JurisdictionOntario
Citations(1985), 9 O.A.C. 391 (CA)

R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Roche

Indexed As: R. v. Roche

Ontario Court of Appeal

Brooke, Goodman and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A.

June 3, 1985.

Summary:

A 20 year old accused was charged with sexual assault, contrary to s. 246.1(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada, and with contributing to juvenile delinquency contrary to s. 33(1)(b) of the Juvenile Delinquents Act. The female complainant was 13 years and 11 months old at the time of the incident, which included necking and petting with the complainant's consent. The trial judge rejected the accused's defence that he was under the mistaken belief that the complainant was 15 years old, and found the accused to be "technically guilty" of sexual assault. The trial judge acquitted the accused of contributing to juvenile delinquency. The accused appealed against his conviction.

The Ontario County Court, in a decision unreported in this series of reports, allowed the appeal and acquitted the accused. The Crown appealed.

The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Civil Rights - Topic 4908

Presumption of innocence - Circumstances infringing presumption - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that to find an accused "technically guilty" of an offence (such as sexual assault or statutory rape) ignores the presumption of innocence - See paragraph 20.

Civil Rights - Topic 8547

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - Principles of fundamental justice - The Ontario Court of Appeal stated that it is a principle of fundamental justice that a person should not be convicted of a crime if he honestly though mistakenly believes in circumstances which, if they were true, would render his conduct innocent - See paragraph 18.

Criminal Law - Topic 665

Sexual assault - What constitutes - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that sexual assault as found in s. 246.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada includes sexual intercourse or an attempt at such, what was formerly called indecent assault, as well as a broader meaning to be decided on a case-by-case basis - See paragraph 7.

Criminal Law - Topic 674

Sexual assault - Defences - Mistake of fact - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that a mistake of fact based on an honest and reasonable belief that the female is over the age of 14 is a defence to a charge of sexual assault under s. 246.1(1) and (2) of the Criminal Code of Canada, where there are more than three years between the age of the complainant, who was under 14, and the age of the accused - Thus, if the complainant is under 14 years and the accused is more than three years older, consent is not a defence, subject to the defence of mistake of fact as to the complainant's age which makes his conduct innocent - See paragraph 19.

Criminal Law - Topic 700

Sexual offences - Sexual intercourse with female under age 14 - The Ontario Court of Appeal opined that with the enactment of s. 246.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada (sexual assault), s. 146(1) (sexual intercourse with a female under 14), which remains in the Code, is redundant - See paragraph 15.

Criminal Law - Topic 8663

Juveniles - Contributing to delinquency of - Intention or mens rea - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that no crime of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile is committed where a 20 year old accused necked and petted with a female, aged 13 years and 11 months, with her consent and with the belief that she was 15 and that no offence was being committed - See paragraphs 3 to 5.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Alderton (1985), 7 O.A.C. 121 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Hurd (1972), 7 C.C.C.(2d) 90 (Ont. C.A.), consd. [para. 8].

R. v. Stevens (1983), 3 C.C.C.(3d) 198 (Ont. C.A.), consd. [para. 13].

R. v. City of Sault Ste. Marie, [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295; 40 C.C.C.(2d) 353, consd. [para. 16].

R. v. Haugen (1923), 41 C.C.C. 132 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, sect. 7(3) [paras. 14, 17]; sect. 132 [para. 10]; sect. 140 [para. 18]; sect. 141(1) [para. 10]; sect. 146(1) [paras. 13, 15, 18]; sect. 213 [para. 14]; sect. 246.1 [paras. 7, 12, 15, 18-19].

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 7 [para. 18].

Counsel:

David H. Doherty, for the appellant;

Peter M. Williams, Q.C., for the respondent.

This appeal was heard before Brooke, Goodman and Tarnopolsky, JJ.A., of the Ontario Court of Appeal on December 20, 1984. The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered by Brooke, J.A., and released on June 3, 1985

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12 practice notes
  • R. v. Morgentaler, (1985) 11 O.A.C. 81 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Ontario Court of Appeal (Ontario)
    • 1 Octubre 1985
    ...O.A.C. 254; 46 O.R.(2d) 520, refd to. [para. 61]. R. v. Stevens (1983), 3 C.C.C.(3d) 198 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 63]. R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391, refd to. [para. R.L. Crain Inc. et al. v. Couture et al. (1983), 30 Sask.R. 191; 10 C.C.C.(3d) 119, refd to. [para. 67]. Nicholson v. ......
  • R. v. Manuel (N.V.), (2008) 254 B.C.A.C. 69 (CA)
    • Canada
    • British Columbia Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 20 Noviembre 2007
    ...13 C.C.C.(2d) 369 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 10]. R. v. Howson, [1966] 3 C.C.C. 348 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 10]. R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391; 20 C.C.C.(3d) 524 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13]. R. v. Tolson (1889), 23 Q.B.D. 168 (C.C.R.), refd to. [para. 13]. R. v. Pappajohn, [1980] ......
  • R. v. Silavi, 2019 BCCA 366
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 22 Octubre 2019
    ...R. v. Hann (1992) 75 C.C.C. (3d) 355 (Nfld. C.A.); R. v. N. (R.S.) (1991) 69 C.C.C. (3d) 223 (P.E.I. C.A.); R. v. Roche (1985) 9 O.A.C. 391; R. v. B. (A.) 2015 ONCA 803. [34]        In keeping with the Charter, it is clear that s. 150.1 (and......
  • R. v. Osborne (J.M.), (1992) 102 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 194 (NFCA)
    • Canada
    • Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal (Newfoundland)
    • 9 Noviembre 1992
    ...the accused failed to take reasonable steps - The trial judge's fact finding was supported by the evidence. Cases Noticed: R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391; 46 C.R.(3d) 160 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32]. R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295; 85 D.L.R.(3d) 161; 40 C......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
12 cases
  • R. v. Morgentaler, (1985) 11 O.A.C. 81 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Ontario Court of Appeal (Ontario)
    • 1 Octubre 1985
    ...O.A.C. 254; 46 O.R.(2d) 520, refd to. [para. 61]. R. v. Stevens (1983), 3 C.C.C.(3d) 198 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 63]. R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391, refd to. [para. R.L. Crain Inc. et al. v. Couture et al. (1983), 30 Sask.R. 191; 10 C.C.C.(3d) 119, refd to. [para. 67]. Nicholson v. ......
  • R. v. Manuel (N.V.), (2008) 254 B.C.A.C. 69 (CA)
    • Canada
    • British Columbia Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 20 Noviembre 2007
    ...13 C.C.C.(2d) 369 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 10]. R. v. Howson, [1966] 3 C.C.C. 348 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 10]. R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391; 20 C.C.C.(3d) 524 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13]. R. v. Tolson (1889), 23 Q.B.D. 168 (C.C.R.), refd to. [para. 13]. R. v. Pappajohn, [1980] ......
  • R. v. Silavi, 2019 BCCA 366
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • 22 Octubre 2019
    ...R. v. Hann (1992) 75 C.C.C. (3d) 355 (Nfld. C.A.); R. v. N. (R.S.) (1991) 69 C.C.C. (3d) 223 (P.E.I. C.A.); R. v. Roche (1985) 9 O.A.C. 391; R. v. B. (A.) 2015 ONCA 803. [34]        In keeping with the Charter, it is clear that s. 150.1 (and......
  • R. v. Osborne (J.M.), (1992) 102 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 194 (NFCA)
    • Canada
    • Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal (Newfoundland)
    • 9 Noviembre 1992
    ...the accused failed to take reasonable steps - The trial judge's fact finding was supported by the evidence. Cases Noticed: R. v. Roche (1985), 9 O.A.C. 391; 46 C.R.(3d) 160 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32]. R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295; 85 D.L.R.(3d) 161; 40 C......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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