R. v. Tahirsylaj (Y.), (2015) 367 B.C.A.C. 13 (CA)

• Judge: Saunders, Bennett and Willcock, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: January 13, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (2015), 367 B.C.A.C. 13 (CA);2015 BCCA 7

R. v. Tahirsylaj (Y.) (2015), 367 B.C.A.C. 13 (CA);

    631 W.A.C. 13

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JA.043

Regina (respondent) v. Ylber Tahirsylaj (appellant)

(CA041286; 2015 BCCA 7)

Indexed As: R. v. Tahirsylaj (Y.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Saunders, Bennett and Willcock, JJ.A.

January 13, 2015.

Summary:

A massive marijuana grow operation was located in the outbuilding adjacent to a rural residence. Although the accused did not own or reside in the residence, surveillance evidence established that he entered the outbuilding briefly and locked the door behind him when he left. The accused's fingerprint was on an illegal hydro meter used to bypass the legitimate meter. It also appeared that he directed a child away from the outbuilding. The accused did not testify, so there was no explanation for how his fingerprint came to be on the illegal meter. The accused was convicted of production of marijuana, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, and fraudulent consumption of electricity. The accused appealed his convictions, arguing that the Crown failed to prove possession, that the trial judge failed to consider innocent possession, and that the verdicts were unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The evidence supported the accused having knowledge of the grow operation, and sufficient control over it to establish possession. Although the evidence was not "overwhelming", on the whole of the evidence possession was the only rational or reasonable conclusion.

Criminal Law - Topic 10.2

General principles - General and definitions - Possession defined - See paragraphs 20 to 42.

Narcotic Control - Topic 580

Offences - Possession - General - Knowledge - See paragraphs 20 to 42.

Narcotic Control - Topic 604

Offences - Possession - Evidence - Proof of possession - See paragraphs 20 to 42.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. York (J.A.) (2005), 208 B.C.A.C. 184; 344 W.A.C. 184; 193 C.C.C.(3d) 331; 2005 BCCA 74, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Dhillon (G.S.) (2001), 157 B.C.A.C. 124; 256 W.A.C. 124; 158 C.C.C.(3d) 353; 2001 BCCA 555, refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. U.P.M., [2010] 1 S.C.R. 253; 399 N.R. 200; 346 Sask.R. 1; 477 W.A.C. 1; 2010 SCC 8, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Morelli - see R. v. U.P.M.

R. v. Pham (K.T.) (2005), 204 O.A.C. 299; 77 O.R.(3d) 401; 203 C.C.C.(3d) 326 (C.A.), affd. [2006] 1 S.C.R. 940; 349 N.R. 387; 213 O.A.C. 399; 2006 SCC 26, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Savory (D.M.) (1996), 94 O.A.C. 318 (C.A.), leave to appeal denied [1997] 2 S.C.R. xv; 223 N.R. 227; 104 O.A.C. 320, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Webster (B.L.) (2008), 262 B.C.A.C. 168; 441 W.A.C. 168; 238 C.C.C.(3d) 270; 2008 BCCA 458, refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Lepage (J.P.), [1995] 1 S.C.R. 654; 178 N.R. 81; 79 O.A.C. 191, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Johnson (P.D.) (1993), 61 O.A.C. 189; 12 O.R.(3d) 340; 79 C.C.C.(3d) 42 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. Biniaris (J.), [2000] 1 S.C.R. 381; 252 N.R. 204; 134 B.C.A.C. 161; 219 W.A.C. 161; 2000 SCC 15, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Wills (B.) (2014), 318 O.A.C. 99; 308 C.C.C.(3d) 109; 2014 ONCA 178, affd. (2014), 465 N.R. 301; 327 O.A.C. 4; 2014 SCC 73, refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Paul (1975), 27 C.C.C.(2d) 1 (Que. C.A.), revd. [1977] 1 S.C.R. 181; 4 N.R. 435; 64 D.L.R.(3d) 491, refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Jir (D.P.) (2010), 295 B.C.A.C. 231; 501 W.A.C. 231; 264 C.C.C.(3d) 64; 2010 BCCA 497, refd to. [para. 40].

Counsel:

J.R. Ray, for the appellant;

T. Gerhart, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on September 22, 2014, at Vancouver, B.C., before Saunders, Bennett and Willcock, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

On January 13, 2015, Bennett, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.