R. v. Wright (M.G.), (2008) 317 Sask.R. 267 (QB)

• Judge: Gunn, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Saskatchewan (Canada)
• Case Date: June 27, 2008
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: (2008), 317 Sask.R. 267 (QB);2008 SKQB 268

R. v. Wright (M.G.) (2008), 317 Sask.R. 267 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2008] Sask.R. TBEd. JL.007

Her Majesty the Queen v. Michael Gilbert Wright

(QBC 14/2006; 2008 SKQB 268)

Indexed As: R. v. Wright (M.G.)

Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial Centre of Regina

Gunn, J.

June 27, 2008.

Summary:

The Crown applied under s. 753 for an order finding the accused to be a dangerous offender.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench allowed the application, declared the accused to be a dangerous offender and sentenced him to imprisonment in a penitentiary for an indeterminate period.

Criminal Law - Topic 6503

Dangerous or long-term offenders - Detention - Dangerous offender - Defined - The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench reviewed the jurisprudence respecting the process of determining whether an accused was a long-term or dangerous offender and particularly in the case where the accused was an aboriginal - See paragraphs 1 to 17.

Criminal Law - Topic 6503

Dangerous or long-term offenders - Detention - Dangerous offender - Defined - The accused, an aboriginal, who had been declared a long-term offender following an aggravated assault, was residing in a federal half-way house under a supervision order - He pleaded guilty to breaching an order to abstain from using intoxicants and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, both charges arising from an incident at the half-way house - The Crown sought a dangerous offender designation (Criminal Code, ss. 753(1)(a)(i) and (ii)) - The accused was 43 years old - Came from extremely dysfunctional family - Allegedly abused in foster care - Developed serious behavioural problems - Adopted at age 10, but behavioural problems continued - Became active in petty crime, alcohol and drugs - Lengthy criminal record (34 offences) starting at age 16, including offences of violence - Poor behaviour while incarcerated - Continued using drugs during incarceration, while also participating in a regulated methadone program - Poor history on conditional release - Attended numerous treatment programs, without success - Continued recidivism - Expert evidence indicated that he was a very high risk to re-offend generally and at a high risk to re-offend violently, especially if he continued to consume alcohol or take drugs - The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench rejected a long-term offender designation because there was no reasonable possibility of controlling the accused's risk in the community - The court declared the accused to be a dangerous offender and sentenced him to penitentiary for an indeterminate period for the firearms offence and to time served for the charge of unlawfully using intoxicants - See paragraphs 18 to 209.

Criminal Law - Topic 6503.1

Dangerous or long-term offenders - Detention - Long-term offender - Defined - [See both Criminal Law - Topic 6503 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Johnson (J.J.), [2003] 2 S.C.R. 357; 308 N.R. 333; 186 B.C.A.C. 161; 306 W.A.C. 161; 2003 SCC 46, refd to. [para. 6].

R. v. Gladue (J.T.), [1999] 1 S.C.R. 688; 238 N.R. 1; 121 B.C.A.C. 161; 198 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Nowdlak (M.), [2005] Nunavut Cases 17 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. J.-M.D., [2005] Q.J. No. 6843, refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Green (J.L.A.), [2005] 2 W.W.R. 20; 254 Sask.R. 276; 336 W.A.C. 276; 2004 SKCA 126, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Lemaigre (G.L.), [2007] 7 W.W.R. 52; 254 Sask.R. 255; 336 W.A.C. 255; 2004 SKCA 125, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. K.R.S., [2005] 5 W.W.R. 82; 254 Sask.R. 221; 336 W.A.C. 221; 2004 SKCA 127, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Otto (M.E.) (2006), 279 Sask.R. 182; 372 W.A.C. 182; 2006 SKCA 52, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. McCallum (N.J.) (2005), 196 O.A.C. 101 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Goforth (M.A.) (2007), 302 Sask.R. 265; 411 W.A.C. 265; 2007 SKCA 144, refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Haug (D.W.) (2008), 307 Sask.R. 1; 417 W.A.C. 1; 2008 SKCA 23, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Wormell (W.J.) (2005), 213 B.C.A.C. 223; 352 W.A.C. 223; 198 C.C.C.(3d) 252; 2005 BCCA 328, refd to. [para. 195].

R. v. F.E.D. (2007), 222 O.A.C. 253; 222 C.C.C.(3d) 373; 2007 ONCA 246, refd to. [para. 195].

R. v. Watetch (W.E.) (2006), 288 Sask.R. 1; 2006 SKQB 503, refd to. [para. 195].

R. v. Lavallee (V.L.) (2007), 296 Sask.R. 11; 2007 SKQB 85, refd to. [para. 195].

R. v. Roberts (L.R.) (2007), 300 Sask.R. 83; 2007 SKQB 209, refd to. [para. 195].

R. v. Stonechild (R.) (2008), 312 Sask.R. 86; 2008 SKQB 98, refd to. [para. 195].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 753(1)(a)(i), sect. 753(1)(a)(ii) [para. 5]; sect. 753.1 [para. 6].

Counsel:

Jefferey D. Kalmakoff and Dana J. Brule, for Her Majesty the Queen;

David N. Armstrong, for Michael Gilbert Wright.

This application was heard by Gunn, J., of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial Centre of Regina, who delivered the following decision on June 27, 2008.