Despite sentencing judge’s factual mistake, sentence actually imposed fit for offences

Ontario criminal | Appeal

SENTENCE APPEAL

Despite sentencing judge’s factual mistake, sentence actually imposed fit for offences

Appeal from sentence. Accused was convicted of two counts of sexual assault on victims he had rendered unconscious with stupefying drug, one count of administering stupefying drug with intent to commit sexual assault, and one count of unlawful possession of property. He was sentenced to 5 years’ incarceration less pretrial custody at 2-for-1 ratio and made subject to Long-Term Supervision Order (“LTSO”) for period of 7 years following his release. Accused continually breached LTSO. Appeal turned on error by sentencing judge in calculating accused’s credit for presentence custody. As he had been released from imprisonment in September 2011 on statutory release, he sought to reduce duration of LTSO. Sentencing judge intended to give accused 1.5 to 1 credit for presentence custody. Proper credit would have been 1,009 days. Sentencing judge granted accused 228 days (about 7.5 months) less credit than he might have otherwise received. Accused spent total of 1,337 days (664 days on his first breach and 673 days on breaches in this case) in custody while his LTSO continued to run. That period amounted to more than half of original 7-year period LTSO was intended to apply. Leave to appeal granted; appeal dismissed. Despite sentencing judge’s factual mistake, sentence actually imposed was fit for offences. Rationale for LTSO for 7 years was not undermined by sentencing judge’s calculation error.

R. v. Bourbon (Apr. 23, 2012, Ont. C.A., Juriansz J.A., File No. C53975) 100 W.C.B. (2d) 756 (8 pp.).

Free newsletter

Our newsletter is FREE and keeps you up to date on all the developments in the Ontario legal community. Please enter your email address below to subscribe.

Recent articles & video

Relocation disputes surge in family law litigation, says Lerners LLP’s Ryan McNeil

Ont. CA confirms future harm risk not compensable in contaminated medication class action

Law Commission of Ontario announces new board of governors appointments

Ontario Superior Court upholds ‘fair dealing’ in franchise dispute

Ontario Superior Court orders retrial for catastrophic impairment case due to procedural unfairness

LEAF celebrates 39 years fighting gender-based discrimination at annual Evening for Equality gala

Most Read Articles

Ontario Superior Court confirms License Appeal Tribunal cannot award punitive damages

Ontario Court of Appeal denies builder's request for a trial on damages in a real estate dispute

Relocation disputes surge in family law litigation, says Lerners LLP’s Ryan McNeil

Ontario Superior Court grants extension for service of expert reports in medical negligence case