R. v. Spencer (D.), (2015) 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 138 (NLPC)

• Judge: Gorman, P.C.J.
• Court: Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court (Canada)
• Case Date: October 06, 2015
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (2015), 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 138 (NLPC);2015 NLPC 1314

R. v. Spencer (D.) (2015), 375 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 138 (NLPC);

    1167 A.P.R. 138

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. TBEd. DE.022

Her Majesty the Queen v. Darlene Spencer

(2015 NLPC 1314A00736)

Indexed As: R. v. Spencer (D.)

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court

Gorman, P.C.J.

October 8, 2015.

Summary:

Spencer pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court imposed 30 days of incarceration followed by 12 months of probation and a one year driving prohibition.

Criminal Law - Topic 5831.1

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Offences involving breach of trust - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5849.13

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drinking and driving offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5886 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5886

Sentence - Impaired driving - While employed as a respite worker for a child with Down syndrome (C.), Spencer operated a motor vehicle in which C. was a passenger - The vehicle was seen swerving on the road and came close to striking other vehicles - The back window of the vehicle was damaged as a result of Spencer having backed into a tree - Spencer's breath sample readings were .190 and .180 - She pled guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 hundred millilitres of blood - Fifty-six years of age - No prior convictions - Apologized for her actions and expressed remorse for having endangered C. - Sought and attended counselling - The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court held that the nature of the breach of trust which occurred, and the placing of a vulnerable child in grave danger, required the imposition of a period of incarceration - The court imposed 30 days of incarceration, 12 months of probation and a one year driving prohibition.

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. 8].

R. v. Kelly (J.G.) (2014), 346 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 341; 1078 A.P.R. 341 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 14].

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. 15].

R. v. E.H.M. (2015), 600 A.R. 6; 645 W.A.C. 6; 2015 ABCA 131, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Klemenz (C.G.) et al. (2015), 465 Sask.R. 134; 649 W.A.C. 134; 2015 SKCA 89, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Downes (R.), [2015] O.A.C. Uned. 678; 2015 ONCA 674, refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Angelillo (G.), [2006] 2 S.C.R. 728; 355 N.R. 226; 2006 SCC 55, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Nasogaluak (L.M.), [2010] 1 S.C.R. 206; 398 N.R. 107; 474 A.R. 88; 479 W.A.C. 88, refd to. [para. 23].

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. 23].

R. v. Briand (R.) et al. (2010), 302 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 67; 938 A.P.R. 67; 2010 NLCA 67, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Marsh (C.J.) (2014), 359 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 96; 1117 A.P.R. 96 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Hatcher (S.) (2000), 190 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 576 A.P.R. 1; 146 C.C.C.(3d) 426 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. McNeil (S.J.) (2013), 340 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 42; 1057 A.P.R. 42; 2013 NLCA 52, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Fatunmbi (O.O.) (2014), 306 Man.R.(2d) 158; 604 W.A.C. 158; 2014 MBCA 53, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Jones-Solomon (C.) (2015), 338 O.A.C. 377; 2015 ONCA 654, refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Johnston (H.E.) (2011), 311 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 129; 967 A.P.R. 129 (N.L.C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. White (R.) (2009), 292 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 128; 902 A.P.R. 128 (N.L.T.D.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Edwards (E.M.) (2015), 361 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 1; 1122 A.P.R. 1 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Thistle (R.) (2015), 365 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 16; 1138 A.P.R. 16; 2015 NLTD(G) 44, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Oxford (M.R.) (2010), 299 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 8; 926 A.P.R. 8 (N.L.T.D. (Gen.)), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. James (N.) (1994), 126 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 290; 393 A.P.R. 290 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Hunt (R.M.) (1998), 165 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 139; 509 A.P.R. 139 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Thornhill, [2002] N.J. No. 446 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Fry (S.) (2005), 252 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 59; 756 A.P.R. 59 (N.L.T.D.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Fancy (2007), 48 M.V.R.(5th) 92 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Wells (E.) (2012), 319 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 186; 992 A.P.R. 186 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Taylor (F.W.) (2015), 369 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 285; 1150 A.P.R. 285 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Newport, [2004] N.J. No. 37 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 42].

R. v. Giovannini, [2005] N.J. No. 94 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Slaney, [2009] N.J. No. 327 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 44].

R. v. Beaudry (A.), [2007] 1 S.C.R. 190; 356 N.R. 323, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Bernshaw (N.), [1995] 1 S.C.R. 254; 176 N.R. 81; 53 B.C.A.C. 1; 87 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Pasznyk, [2014] VSCA 87, refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Batt (M.T.) (2015), 361 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 170; 1122 A.P.R. 170 (N.L. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 46].

Counsel:

J. Noseworthy, for Her Majesty the Queen;

D. Spencer, on her own behalf.

This matter was heard on October 6, 2015, at Corner Brook, N.L., before Gorman, P.C.J., of the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court, who delivered the following decision on October 8, 2015.