R. v. Warren (G.C.), (1994) 128 N.S.R.(2d) 139 (ProvCt)

• Judge: Batiot, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: May 18, 1993
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1994), 128 N.S.R.(2d) 139 (ProvCt)

R. v. Warren (G.C.) (1994), 128 N.S.R.(2d) 139 (ProvCt);

  359 A.P.R. 139

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty The Queen v. Gary Charles Warren

(No. 370633; 370634)

Indexed As: R. v. Warren (G.C.)

Nova Scotia Provincial Court

Batiot, P.C.J.

January 24, 1994.

Summary:

The accused was charged with having care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired and having care and control of a motor vehicle while he had an excessive blood-alcohol level, contrary to ss. 253(a) and (b) of the Criminal Code.

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court acquitted the accused.

Civil Rights - Topic 1404.1

Security of the person - Law enforcement - Breath samples - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court accepted an accused's argument that the A.L.E.R.T. device used to test his breath was not an approved screening device, but held that his s. 8 Charter rights were not breached at the stage of the A.L.E.R.T. demand - How­ever, the court held that the subsequent breathalyzer demand, which was based solely on the unapproved A.L.E.R.T. result, was not based on reasonable and probable grounds and breached s. 8 of the Charter - The court excluded the results, holding that their admission would bring the administration of justice into disrepute, where, inter alia, the evidence emanated from the accused.

Civil Rights - Topic 8368

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of right - Remedies, exclusion of evidence - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1404.1 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8550

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation, particular words and phrases - Bring the administration of justice into disrepute, s. 24(2) - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1404.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 1372

Motor vehicles - Impaired driving - Breathalyzer, demand, reasonable grounds - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1404.1 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 1385

Motor vehicles - Impaired driving - Roadside screening test, general - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1404.1 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Rilling (1975), 5 N.R. 327; 24 C.C.C.(2d) 81 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Wason (1987), 7 M.V.R.(2d) 88 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Denney (1985), 68 N.S.R.(2d) 88; 159 A.P.R. 88; 34 M.V.R. 111 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Mood (1987), 85 N.S.R.(2d) 178; 216 A.P.R. 178 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Thomsen, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 640; 84 N.R. 347; 27 O.A.C. 85; 63 C.R.(3d) 1; 40 C.C.C.(3d) 411; 4 M.V.R.(2d) 185; 32 C.R.R. 257, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Brown (G.J.) (1991), 107 N.S.R.(2d) 349; 290 A.P.R. 349; 69 C.C.C.(3d) 139 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Kiskotagan (1986), 49 Sask.R. 10; 41 M.V.R. 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Dwernychuk (M.K.) (1992), 135 A.R. 31; 33 W.A.C. 31; 77 C.C.C.(3d) 385 (C.A.), leave to appeal to the S.C.C. refused 151 N.R. 400; 141 A.R. 317; 46 W.A.C. 317; 79 C.C.C.(3d) vi (S.C.C.), dist. [para. 22].

Southam Inc. v. Hunter, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145; 55 N.R. 241; 55 A.R. 291; 9 C.R.R. 355; 14 C.C.C.(3d) 97; 41 C.R.(3d) 97; [1984] 6 W.W.R. 577; 33 Alta. L.R.(2d) 193; 27 B.L.R. 297; 84 D.T.C. 6467; 2 C.P.R.(3d) 1; 11 D.L.R.(4th) 641, refd to. [para. 23].

Baron et al. v. Minister of National Reve­nue et al., [1993] 1 S.C.R. 416; 146 N.R. 270; 78 C.C.C.(3d) 510, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Greffe, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 755; 107 N.R. 1; 107 A.R. 1; 55 C.C.C.(3d) 161; 75 C.R.(3d) 257; 46 C.R.R. 1; [1990] 3 W.W.R. 577; 73 Alta. L.R.(2d) 97, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265; 74 N.R. 276; 56 C.R.(3d) 193; [1987] 3 W.W.R. 699; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 508; 33 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 28 C.R.R. 122; 13 B.C.L.R.(2d) 1, appld. [para. 28].

R. v. Green (1990), 100 N.S.R.(2d) 82; 272 A.P.R. 82; 60 C.C.C.(3d) 362 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 8 [para. 10]; sect. 24 [para. 30].

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 253(b) [para. 1]; sect. 254(2), sect. 254(3), sect. 258(1)(c) [para. 2]; sect. 258(1)(g) [para. 15].

Counsel:

Frank Hoskins, for the Crown;

Robert L. Barnes, for the defence.

This case was heard on May 18, 1993, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, before Batiot, P.C.J., of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on January 24, 1994.