R. v. S.J.B., (2012) 545 A.R. 256 (PC)

• Judge: Semenuk, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: June 22, 2012
• Citations: (2012), 545 A.R. 256 (PC);2012 ABPC 172

R. v. S.J.B. (2012), 545 A.R. 256 (PC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2012] A.R. TBEd. JL.039

Her Majesty the Queen v. S.J.B. (110831237P1-01-001-003;  2012 ABPC 172)

Indexed As: R. v. S.J.B.

Alberta Provincial Court

Semenuk, P.C.J.

June 22, 2012.

Summary:

The accused (female, 34 years of age), pled guilty to charges of manslaughter (s. 234 of the Criminal Code), attempted murder (s. 239(b)), and failure to provide necessities of life (s. 215(2)(a)). The victim of the manslaughter offence, committed in 2004, was the accused's 10 month old son. The accused's five year old son was the victim of the remaining offences, committed in 2010. The Crown submitted that a fit global sentence was 18 years' imprisonment.

The Alberta Provincial Court sentenced the accused to a global sentence of 13 years' imprisonment, less a pre-trial custody credit of three years and five months.

Editor's Note: Certain names in the following case have been initialized or the case otherwise edited to prevent the disclosure of identities where required by law, publication ban, Maritime Law Book's editorial policy or otherwise.

Criminal Law - Topic 5804

Sentencing - General - Consecutive sentences - Reduced total term (totality principle) - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1

Sentencing - Considerations - Offences involving breach of trust - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5834.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Mental illness or disorder - The Alberta Provincial Court, in considering the range of sentence for manslaughter, attempted murder, and failing to provide necessities of life, stated that "the range many be affected by the presence of a major mental health disorder in the Accused at the time of the commission of the offence. ... [W]here there is a link between a major mental health disorder and the criminality of the Accused, or if a major mental health disorder renders the Accused particularly vulnerable in a custodial setting, the moral blameworthiness of the Accused is to be reduced, and the weight to be given to the principles of denunciation and deterrence is also to be reduced, which will result in a less severe sentence being imposed." - See paragraphs 98 and 99.

Criminal Law - Topic 5881

Sentence - Murder (incl. attempts) - The accused (female, 34 years of age) pled guilty to charges of manslaughter, attempted murder (attempted suffocation, strangling) and failure to provide necessities of life - The victim of the manslaughter offence, committed in 2004, was the accused's 10 month old son - The accused's five year old son was the victim of the other offences, committed in 2010 - The attempted murder offence took place 22 days after the accused's husband was electrocuted in a freak accident - The Alberta Provincial Court sentenced the accused to a global sentence of 13 years' imprisonment: four years for manslaughter, eight years for attempted murder (consecutive), and one year for failure to provide the necessities of life (consecutive) - In fixing the global sentence, the court took into account the totality principle - Aggravating circumstances: (a) both victims under 18; accused in a position of trust; (b) two victims; (c) as to the manslaughter offence, the accused lied about finding the victim in his crib not breathing (SIDS) and kept the real cause of death a secret for almost six years; attempted to minimize her involvement in her statement to police; (d) the attempted murder offence was aggravated by the level of violence during prolonged assault using a pillow as a weapon and a ligature; motivated by anger; the victim's older sister at home at the time; accused refused offers to take victim to the hospital; delay of three days in taking the victim to hospital; victim had permanent brain injuries; expected to live for a few years at most; (e) as to the failure to provide the necessities of life, the age of the victim, the extent of the endangerment, and the resulting permanent brain damage were all aggravating; (f) long-standing substance abuse problem (marijuana); (g) prior conviction for theft - Mitigating circumstances: (a) guilty pleas; (b) remorseful; (c) dated and unrelated criminal record; (d) dysfunctional upbringing; (e) anti-social personality disorder and borderline personality disorder; (f) as to manslaughter offence, expert opined that accused had little intent to kill (couldn't cope with three children); impulsive act; (g) as to attempted murder offence, expert opined that accused suffered major depressive episode - See paragraphs 64 to 122.

Criminal Law - Topic 5882

Sentence - Manslaughter - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5957

Sentencing - Sentence - Particular offences - Attempted suffocation, choking, strangling etc. - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5968

Sentence - Failure to provide necessaries of life - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. J.L.M.A. (2010), 499 A.R. 1; 514 W.A.C. 1; 2010 ABCA 363, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Laberge (K.K.) (1995), 165 A.R. 375; 89 W.A.C. 375; 1995 CarswellAlta 556 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Watt (1988), 27 O.A.C. 238; 1988 CarswellOnt 1034, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Fujii (R.) (2002), 323 A.R. 261; 2002 ABQB 805, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Dyck, 2003 CarswellNfld 41 (Nfld. & Lab. S.C.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Sinclair, 1998 CarswellMan 466 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Pimentel (J.R.A.) (2000), 145 Man.R.(2d) 295; 218 W.A.C. 295; 2000 MBCA 35, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Mesgun (D.) (1997), 105 O.A.C. 376; 1997 CarswellOnt 4976 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Varga (R.L.) (2001), 150 O.A.C. 358; 2001 CarswellOnt 3861 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. McDonald, 2007 CarswellOnt 6241 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Brown (D.P.) (2009), 251 O.A.C. 264; 2009 ONCA 563, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Tetreault, 2007 CarswellQue 6305 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Edwards (K.B.), [2009] O.A.C. Uned. 481; 2009 ONCA 730, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. McCrindle (A.S.) (1997), 60 O.T.C. 211; 1997 CarswellOnt 5462 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Shorting (C.C.) (2009), 337 Sask.R. 134; 464 W.A.C. 134; 2009 SKCA 102, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. DaSilva, [2005] O.J. No. 5314 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Bighead (G.) (2003), 232 Sask.R. 236; 294 W.A.C. 236; 2003 SKCA 44, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. G.B. - see R. v. Bighead (G.).

R. v. Turner (S.A.) (1997), 185 N.B.R.(2d) 190; 472 A.P.R. 190 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Sriskantharajah (A.) (1994), 72 O.A.C. 170 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Dykstra, [1991] B.C.J. No. 163, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Lavoie (1987), 78 A.R. 327 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. N.R.R. (2011), 264 Man.R.(2d) 155; 2011 MBQB 90, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Choy (L.) (2009), 456 A.R. 228; 2009 ABQB 343, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Coombs (K.A.) (2003), 343 A.R. 212; 2003 ABQB 818, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Grimmer (D.P.) (1999), 210 N.B.R.(2d) 164; 536 A.P.R. 164, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Buckley, 2000 BCPC 84, refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Johnson, [1995] O.J. No. 3764 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 61].

R. v. Valiquette (S.) (1990), 37 Q.A.C. 8; 60 C.C.C.(3d) 325 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Vaudreuil (V.L.) (1995), 59 B.C.A.C. 71; 98 W.A.C. 71; 98 C.C.C.(3d) 316 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Hussein (J.S.) (2011), 518 A.R. 5; 98 W.C.B.(2d) 468; 2011 ABQB 601, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Sinclair (A.R.) (2011), 517 A.R. 396; 2011 ABQB 652, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Resler (K.B.) (2011), 505 A.R. 330; 522 W.A.C. 330; 2011 ABCA 167, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Prioriello (N.) (2012), 288 O.A.C. 198; 2012 ONCA 63, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Ayorech (C.D.) (2012), 522 A.R. 306; 544 W.A.C. 306; 2012 ABCA 82, refd to. [para. 63].

R. v. Brown (T.) (1993), 109 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 69; 343 A.P.R. 69 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. T.B. - see R. v Brown (T.).

R. v. Brown (B.N.) (1992), 105 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 39; 331 A.P.R. 39 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. S.R. (1993), 20 W.C.B.(2d) 42 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. Mertz (1988), 4 W.C.B.(2d) 262 (Ont. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. M.C.N. (2012), 524 A.R. 366; 545 W.A.C. 366; 2012 ABCA 158, refd to. [para. 93].

R. v. Nickel - see R. v. M.C.N.

R. v. McDonnell (T.E.), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 948; 210 N.R. 241; 196 A.R. 321; 141 W.A.C. 321, refd to. [para. 111].

R. v. Proulx (J.K.D.) (2000), 249 N.R. 201; 142 Man.R.(2d) 161; 212 W.A.C. 161; 140 C.C.C.(3d) 449 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 111].

Counsel:

J. Rea, for the Crown;

K. Beyak, for the accused.

This sentencing matter was heard before Semenuk, P.C.J., of the Alberta Provincial Court, who delivered the following sentence and reasons for sentence, dated at Calgary, Alberta, on June 22, 2012.