R. v. Swaine (P.A.), (2015) 364 N.S.R.(2d) 394 (SC)

JudgeChipman, J.
CourtSupreme Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
Case DateSeptember 18, 2015
JurisdictionNova Scotia
Citations(2015), 364 N.S.R.(2d) 394 (SC);2015 NSSC 265

R. v. Swaine (P.A.) (2015), 364 N.S.R.(2d) 394 (SC);

    1146 A.P.R. 394

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. SE.037

Her Majesty the Queen v. Patrick Arthur Swaine

(CRY No. 427728; 2015 NSSC 265)

Indexed As: R. v. Swaine (P.A.)

Nova Scotia Supreme Court

Chipman, J.

September 18, 2015.

Summary:

The accused pleaded guilty to production of marijuana and was convicted by a jury of possession of a controlled substance (hydromorphone) for the purpose of trafficking. The Crown sought 30 months' imprisonment. The accused sought a more lenient sentence involving a period of house arrest.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court sentenced the accused to 24 months' imprisonment for possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking and three months' imprisonment (concurrent) for production of marijuana.

Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4

Punishments (sentence) - Conditional sentence - When available or appropriate - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5830.8

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drug and narcotic offences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5850

Sentence - Trafficking in a narcotic or a controlled drug or substance (incl. possession for the purpose of trafficking) - The 37 year old accused pleaded guilty to production of marijuana and was convicted by a jury of possession of a controlled substance (hydromorphone) for the purpose of trafficking - The accused broke his foot around 2006 and became addicted to pain medications - He was currently living on social assistance, supplemented by sporadic casual employment - Since 2013, he had been part of a methadone program for his drug addiction - The accused had a 1995 conviction for break and enter and a 1998 conviction for possession of a controlled substance - The Crown sought imprisonment - The accused sought a lenient sentence involving house arrest - The Nova Scotia Supreme Court sentenced the accused to 24 months' imprisonment for possession of hydromorphone for the purpose of trafficking and three months' imprisonment (concurrent) for production of marijuana - While the accused was an unsophisticated petty retailer, the prescription drug trade destroyed lives in the community - Deterrence was necessary to send a message that trafficking in such addictive prescription drugs should be treated no differently than cocaine and that petty retailers would pay a price for engaging in this "despicable business" - A conditional sentence was not appropriate.

Criminal Law - Topic 5878

Sentence - Possession, cultivation or production of a narcotic or a controlled drug or substance - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5850 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Carter (A.W.), [2004] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 138; 2004 NSSC 256, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Knickle (N.A.) (2009), 277 N.S.R.(2d) 392; 882 A.P.R. 392; 2009 NSCA 59, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Conway (M.F.) (2009), 282 N.S.R.(2d) 154; 895 A.P.R. 154; 2009 NSCA 95, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Scott (J.J.) (2013), 327 N.S.R.(2d) 256; 1036 A.P.R. 256; 2013 NSCA 28, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Jamieson (F.O.) (2011), 310 N.S.R.(2d) 392; 983 A.P.R. 392; 2011 NSCA 122, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Robinson (F.) (2012), 313 N.S.R.(2d) 41; 990 A.P.R. 41; 2012 NSPC 12, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Calder (A.) (2012), 312 N.S.R.(2d) 1; 987 A.P.R. 1; 2012 NSCA 3, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Scott (J.J.) (2012), 313 N.S.R.(2d) 68; 990 A.P.R. 68; 2012 NSPC 6, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Roper (C.J.), [2011] O.A.C. Uned. 442; 2011 ONCA 479, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. McIntyre (S.) (2004), 275 N.B.R.(2d) 131; 722 A.P.R. 131; 2004 NBPC 14, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Nguyen (Q.) (2007), 254 N.S.R.(2d) 152; 810 A.P.R. 152; 2007 NSSC 134, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. O'Flaherty (P.F.) (2004), 233 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 224; 693 A.P.R. 224; 2004 NLSCTD 4, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Oldham (W.), [2012] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 225; 2012 NSSC 326, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Fifield (1978), 25 N.S.R.(2d) 407; 36 A.P.R. 407 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

Counsel:

Joshua E. Bryson, for the Crown;

R.K. Murray Judge, for the accused.

This matter was heard on June 15-17, 2015, at Shelburne, N.S., before Chipman, J., of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment orally on September 18, 2015.

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3 practice notes
  • R. v. Morrison, 2019 NSPC 38
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • 12 Septiembre 2019
    ...offence occurred. [29] Cases which support the Crown position include R. v. Oickle 2015 NSCA 87, R. Forward 2017 NSSC 190, R. v. Swaine 2015 NSSC 265. R. v. Reid 2015 NSSC 276 is not as instructive given that the accused was a pharmacy technician, there was a breach of trust, and fentanyl i......
  • R. v. LeBlanc (C.), [2016] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 171
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • 4 Octubre 2016
    ...para. 743.1(1)(b) of the Code . [6] The prosecution has referred the court to the very recent decision of Chipman J. in R. v. Swaine , 2015 NSSC 265. I also have reviewed and considered the array of decisions rendered out of our Court of Appeal, specifically in R. v. Knickle , 2009 NSCA 59;......
  • R. v. Boutcher, 2017 NLTD(G) 111
    • Canada
    • Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
    • 7 Junio 2017
    ...R. v. Crough (20 April 2011), Red Deer RCQIICROUGHS (ABQB); R. v. Gargas, 2013 ABCA 245; R. v. Sargent, 2016 ABCA 104; R. v. Swaine, 2015 NSSC 265; R. v. Reddick, 2013 NSSC 70; R. v. Knoll, 2001 ABQB 69; R. v. Turner, [2003] O.J. No. 685, 2003 CarswellOnt 583 (Ont. C.A.); R. v. Kappeler, 19......
3 cases
  • R. v. Morrison, 2019 NSPC 38
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • 12 Septiembre 2019
    ...offence occurred. [29] Cases which support the Crown position include R. v. Oickle 2015 NSCA 87, R. Forward 2017 NSSC 190, R. v. Swaine 2015 NSSC 265. R. v. Reid 2015 NSSC 276 is not as instructive given that the accused was a pharmacy technician, there was a breach of trust, and fentanyl i......
  • R. v. LeBlanc (C.), [2016] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 171
    • Canada
    • Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • 4 Octubre 2016
    ...para. 743.1(1)(b) of the Code . [6] The prosecution has referred the court to the very recent decision of Chipman J. in R. v. Swaine , 2015 NSSC 265. I also have reviewed and considered the array of decisions rendered out of our Court of Appeal, specifically in R. v. Knickle , 2009 NSCA 59;......
  • R. v. Boutcher, 2017 NLTD(G) 111
    • Canada
    • Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
    • 7 Junio 2017
    ...R. v. Crough (20 April 2011), Red Deer RCQIICROUGHS (ABQB); R. v. Gargas, 2013 ABCA 245; R. v. Sargent, 2016 ABCA 104; R. v. Swaine, 2015 NSSC 265; R. v. Reddick, 2013 NSSC 70; R. v. Knoll, 2001 ABQB 69; R. v. Turner, [2003] O.J. No. 685, 2003 CarswellOnt 583 (Ont. C.A.); R. v. Kappeler, 19......

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