R. v. Singh (N.), 2014 BCCA 373

• Judge: Harris, Stromberg-Stein and Goepel, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: September 17, 2014
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2014 BCCA 373;(2014), 361 B.C.A.C. 176 (CA)

R. v. Singh (N.) (2014), 361 B.C.A.C. 176 (CA);

    619 W.A.C. 176

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2014] B.C.A.C. TBEd. OC.003

Regina (respondent/appellant on cross-appeal) v. Ninderjit Singh (appellant/respondent on cross-appeal)

(CA040886; CA041000; 2014 BCCA 373)

Indexed As: R. v. Singh (N.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Harris, Stromberg-Stein and Goepel, JJ.A.

October 1, 2014.

Summary:

The accused was charged with first degree murder. He pleaded guilty to second degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with parole ineligibility for 16 years. The accused appealed his sentence. Thereafter he filed an amended notice of appeal, seeking to withdraw his guilty plea and a new trial on second degree murder. He asserted that the trial judge erred by not making an adequate inquiry before accepting the plea and in accepting the plea in the circumstances. Further, he asserted that the plea was invalid because it was not voluntary, not informed and not unequivocal. In support of the appeal, he applied to adduce fresh evidence in the form of affidavits sworn by him and his uncle. The Crown applied to introduce fresh evidence in the form of an affidavit from the accused's trial counsel.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal allowed the applications to adduce fresh evidence for the limited purpose of assessing the validity of the guilty plea. The court rejected the accused's assertions and dismissed the appeal. Even if the accused had demonstrated that some error had occurred in the entering of the guilty pleas, the court would have dismissed the appeal where there was no miscarriage of justice. He had not established a valid defence and, in all probability, he would have been convicted of first degree murder.

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 a publication ban imposed under s. 486.5 of the Criminal Code and Maritime Law Book's editorial policy or otherwise.

Criminal Law - Topic 4233

Procedure - Pleas - Guilty plea - Expungement or setting aside - See paragraphs 32 to 66.

Criminal Law - Topic 4970

Appeals - Indictable offences - Powers of Court of Appeal - Receiving fresh evidence - General - See paragraphs 16 to 20.

Criminal Law - Topic 5045

Appeals - Indictable offences - Dismissal of appeal if no prejudice, substantial wrong or miscarriage results - What constitutes a substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice - See paragraphs 50 to 66.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Palmer, [1980] 1 S.C.R. 759; 30 N.R. 181; 50 C.C.C.(2d) 193, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Warsing (K.L.), [1998] 3 S.C.R. 579; 233 N.R. 319; 115 B.C.A.C. 214; 189 W.A.C. 214; 130 C.C.C.(3d) 259, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. G.D.B., [2000] 1 S.C.R. 520; 253 N.R. 201; 261 A.R. 1; 225 W.A.C. 1; 143 C.C.C.(3d) 289; 2000 SCC 22, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Hay (L.) et al., [2013] 3 S.C.R. 694; 451 N.R. 34; 312 O.A.C. 201; 2013 SCC 61, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Dunbar (A.A.) et al. (2003), 191 B.C.A.C. 223; 314 W.A.C. 223; 2003 BCCA 667, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. R.T. (1992), 58 O.A.C. 81; 10 O.R.(3d) 514; 1992 CanLII 2834 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Gates (J.L.) (2010), 293 B.C.A.C. 243; 496 W.A.C. 243; 2010 BCCA 378, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. J.G.T. (2003), 178 B.C.A.C. 29; 292 W.A.C. 29; 2003 BCCA 1, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Duong (T.) (2006), 228 B.C.A.C. 183; 376 W.A.C. 183; 2006 BCCA 325, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Tyler (T.E.) (2007), 237 B.C.A.C. 312; 392 W.A.C. 312; 218 C.C.C.(3d) 400; 2007 BCCA 142, refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Staples (J.T.) (2007), 249 B.C.A.C. 213; 414 W.A.C. 213; 2007 BCCA 616, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. Carter (J.L.) (2003), 190 B.C.A.C. 178; 311 W.A.C. 178; 2003 BCCA 632, refd to. [para. 41].

R. v. Read (L.G.) (1994), 47 B.C.A.C. 28; 76 W.A.C. 78; 24 W.C.B.(2d) 240 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

Counsel:

A. Singh, for the appellant (respondent on cross-appeal);

M.J. Brundrett and J. Caldwell, for the respondent (appellant on cross-appeal).

This appeal was heard and decided orally at Vancouver, British Columbia, on September 17, 2014, by Harris, Stromberg-Stein and Goepel, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Stromberg-Stein, J.A., delivered the following written reasons for judgment on October 1, 2014.