R. v. Viszlai (J.G.), (2015) 380 B.C.A.C. 133 (CA)

• Judge: Chiasson, Groberman and Stromberg-Stein, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: September 17, 2015
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (2015), 380 B.C.A.C. 133 (CA);2015 BCCA 495

R. v. Viszlai (J.G.) (2015), 380 B.C.A.C. 133 (CA);

    655 W.A.C. 133

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] B.C.A.C. TBEd. DE.006

Regina (respondent) v. John Gabriel Viszlai (appellant)

(CA41333; 2015 BCCA 495)

Indexed As: R. v. Viszlai (J.G.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Chiasson, Groberman and Stromberg-Stein, JJ.A.

December 4, 2015.

Summary:

Viszlai was found guilty by a jury of sexual offences with respect to D.W. and D.D. when he was their Scout leader. Admitted into evidence at trial was his video-and-audio-taped statement to the police admitting to sexual misconduct with the two complainants, and his letter of apology. Viszlai successfully appealed his convictions: see 330 B.C.A.C. 46; 562 W.A.C. 46. At his second trial, Viszlai submitted that: D.D. should not have been permitted to testify due to the possibility D.D.'s memory was unreliable; his police statement should not have been admitted into evidence because it was involuntary; and the statement should have been excluded because he was arbitrarily detained in breach of s. 9 of the Charter.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

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.

Civil Rights - Topic 3603

Detention and imprisonment - Detention - What constitutes arbitrary detention - See paragraphs 44 to 56.

Criminal Law - Topic 677.1

Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Sexual offences - Rape or sexual assault - False memory syndrome - See paragraphs 7 to 29.

Criminal Law - Topic 5209

Evidence and witnesses - Admissibility and relevancy - Prejudicial evidence - See paragraphs 7 to 29.

Criminal Law - Topic 5332.1

Evidence and witnesses - Confessions and voluntary statements - Voir dire - Duty of judge - See paragraphs 30 to 43.

Criminal Law - Topic 5335

Evidence and witnesses - Confessions and voluntary statements - What constitutes a "threat" or "inducement" - See paragraphs 30 to 43.

Criminal Law - Topic 5341

Evidence and witnesses - Confessions and voluntary statements - Whether voluntary and admissible - Review of ruling of trial judge by appeal court - See paragraphs 30 to 43.

Criminal Law - Topic 5352

Evidence and witnesses - Confessions and voluntary statements - Statements to person in authority - See paragraphs 30 to 43.

Criminal Law - Topic 5355

Evidence and witnesses - Confessions and voluntary statements - Whether statement was made freely and voluntarily - See paragraphs 30 to 43.

Evidence - Topic 1026

Relevant facts - Relevance and materiality - Admissibility - Prejudicial evidence - See paragraphs 7 to 29.

Evidence - Topic 4007

Witnesses - General - Pretrial interviews - General - See paragraphs 7 to 29.

Evidence - Topic 4045

Witnesses - Interference with - Tainted evidence - See paragraphs 7 to 29.

Police - Topic 3086

Powers - Arrest and detention - Detention for investigative purposes - See paragraphs 44 to 56.

Police - Topic 3103

Powers - Investigation - Powers respecting persons under arrest - See paragraphs 44 to 56.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Trochym (S.J.) (2007), 357 N.R. 201; 221 O.A.C. 281; 2007 SCC 6, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Dikah - see R. v. Naoufal (N.).

R. v. Naoufal (N.) (1994), 70 O.A.C. 214; 89 C.C.C.(3d) 321, affd. [1994] 3 S.C.R. 1020; 197 N.R. 161; 90 N.R. 346, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Groves (C.) (2013), 344 B.C.A.C. 181; 587 W.A.C. 181; 2013 BCCA 446, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Corbett, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 670; 85 N.R. 81, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. White (D.R.) (2011), 412 N.R. 305; 300 B.C.A.C. 165; 509 W.A.C. 165; 2011 SCC 13, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Oickle (R.F.) (2000), 259 N.R. 227; 187 N.S.R.(2d) 201; 585 A.P.R. 201; 2000 SCC 38, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Spencer (B.S.) (2007), 358 N.R. 278; 237 B.C.A.C. 1; 392 W.A.C. 1; 2007 SCC 11, refd to. [para. 31].

R. v. Greenhalgh (D.J.), [2010] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1607; 2010 BCSC 1607, refd to. [parra. 39].

R. v. Benham (B.) (2013), 340 B.C.A.C. 26; 579 W.A.C. 26; 2013 BCCA 276, refd to. [para. 42].

Holgate-Mohammed v. Duke, [1984] A.C. 437, refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Storrey, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 241; 105 N.R. 81; 37 O.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 46].

Counsel:

D.N. Lyon and D.J. McKay, for the appellant;

E.A. Campbell and C. Lusk, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard at Victoria, British Columbia, on September 17, 2015, before Chiasson, Groberman and Stromberg-Stein, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. In reasons written by Stromberg-Stein, J.A., the Court delivered the following judgment at Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 4, 2015.